Racial bonus is given to a monster or a character just because it belongs to a certain race. Hence, a creature loses its racial bonus only when its race changes (it is reincarnated or polymorphed).

Usually a racial bonus is attributed to:

• a skill check, or
• one saving throw type, or
• attack rolls.

Never used in the rulebooks, but sometimes on forums, message boards and in everyday speach, are:

• racial ability bonus (i.e., racial ability modifier)
• racial bonus feat