African-American

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Alternative spellings 1.2 Adjective 1.2.1 Usage notes 1.2.2 Translations 1.2.3 Synonyms 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Usage notes 1.3.2 Translations 1.3.3 Synonyms

[edit] English

[edit] Alternative spellings

African American

[edit] Adjective

African-American (comparative more African-American, superlative most African-American)

1. (of a person) American and black.
2. (nonstandard, of a person) Black.
3. Of or pertaining to the culture of African-American people.

[edit] Usage notes

• This term is somewhat formal, and frequently seen as a politically correct alternative to black.
• Aside from black and of color, most other synonyms are dated, and likely to be considered offensive in the United States.
• This term is not used for Americans of North African descent whose skin is not black, such as Berbers or Egyptians.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Synonyms

• (black): black, of color (attributive only), Negro (dated), colored (dated), Afro-American (dated)

[edit] Noun

Wikipedia

African-American (plural African-Americans)

1. A black American.
2. (nonstandard) Any black person.

[edit] Usage notes

• This term is somewhat formal, and frequently seen as a politically correct alternative to black person.
• Aside from black person and person of color, most other synonyms are dated, and likely to be considered offensive.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Synonyms

• (black person): black person, person of color, Negro (dated), colored (dated), Afro-American (dated), nigger (highly offensive), darky (highly offensive, archaic), Afro-Usonian (rare)