Commonly Used Words and Phrases That Have Racist Connotations You may not know it, but these everyday words and phrases are linked to racism. Master bedroombathroom According to real estate blog Trelora, the term "master bedroom" first appeared in a 1926 Sears catalog featuring a Dutch colonial home. According to CNN, the Houston Association of Realtors announced it would replace "master" with "primary" on its listings. Elizabeth Pryor, Smith College professor Masterslave computer components These terms are used to describe a process or device that controls another. Twitter recently announced it will no longer use "master," "slave" and "blacklist" in its code. JPMorgan Chase intends to follow suit. Cakewalk Nowadays, the word is intended to mean "an easy victory," but it originated as a dance performed by enslaved Black people before the Civil War. Owners would hold contests encouraging them to compete for a cake.