Negro
pronunciation
How to pronounce Negro in British English:
UK [ˈniːɡrəʊ]
How to pronounce Negro in American English:
US [ ˈniːɡroʊ]
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- Adjective:
- relating to or characteristic of or being a member of the traditional racial division of mankind having brown to black pigmentation and tightly curled hair
Word Origin
- negro
- negro: see denigrate
- Negro (n.)
- "member of a black-skinned race of Africa," 1550s, from Spanish or Portuguese negro "black," from Latin nigrum (nominative niger) "black, dark, sable, dusky," figuratively "gloomy, unlucky, bad, wicked," of unknown origin (perhaps from PIE *nekw-t- "night;" see Watkins). As an adjective from 1590s. Use with a capital N- became general early 20c. (e.g. 1930 in "New York Times" stylebook) in reference to U.S. citizens of African descent, but because of its perceived association with white-imposed attitudes and roles the word was ousted late 1960s in this sense by Black (q.v.).Professor Booker T. Washington, being politely interrogated ... as to whether negroes ought to be called 'negroes' or 'members of the colored race' has replied that it has long been his own practice to write and speak of members of his race as negroes, and when using the term 'negro' as a race designation to employ the capital 'N' ["Harper's Weekly," June 2, 1906] Meaning "English language as spoken by U.S. blacks" is from 1704. French nègre is a 16c. borrowing from Spanish negro.
Example
- 1. The great majority of negro youth are city-born today .
- 2. He might have recovered from the scandal they say were he not a negro .
- 3. The present negro rural population bears enough children to more than double its size in every generation .
- 4. Fell ill in the house filled with dust and shadows , with only a doddering negro man to wait on her .
- 5. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro 's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one .