Word
negro
Phoneticsne·gro
US/ˈniɡɹoʊ/
UK/nˈiːɡɹəʊ/
Definitions
01person of African descent
n. a word for a person with black skin that was common in the past but is now very offensive.
n. a term for a person of black African ancestry, formerly standard in English but now considered derogatory and offensive.
“The old book used the word negro to describe the main character.”
“Historians must often engage with primary sources from the nineteenth century that use the term negro as a standard descriptor for African Americans.”
Archaic · Formal
Usage
Capitalized in some historical contexts; universally avoided in contemporary speech.
Teaching tip
This term is highly offensive in modern English. Students should recognize it in historical texts but never use it in their own writing or speech.
Synonyms
02relating to black ethnicity
adj. describing things or people related to black African culture in an old-fashioned way.
adj. relating to or characteristic of people of black African descent; now largely restricted to historical proper names or academic discussions of past eras.
“He studied the history of the Negro Leagues in American baseball.”
“The term appears in the names of historical organizations, such as the United Negro College Fund, which retains its original title for institutional continuity.”
Archaic · Formal
Usage
Usually capitalized when part of a proper noun or historical title.
Teaching tip
While the word is offensive as a general adjective, it remains in the names of some long-standing American institutions.