Affirmative action is the policy of making sure that people such as women, members of smaller racial groups, and people with disabilities get a fair share of the opportunities available.
[US]regional note: in BRIT, use positive discrimination
affirmative action in British English
noun
US
a policy or programme designed to counter discrimination against minority groups and women in areas such as employment and education
Brit equivalent: positive discrimination
affirmative action in American English
US
a policy or program for correcting the effects of discrimination in the employment or education of members of certain groups, aswomen, blacks, etc.
Examples of 'affirmative action' in a sentence
affirmative action
`Call it affirmative action, lettin ' the aviators catch up with the bubbleheads.