Eurafrican

English

WOTD – 21 May 2024

Etymology

From Euro- (prefix meaning ‘pertaining to Europe’) +‎ African (adjective, noun), probably modelled after Eurasian. Compare Euroafrican, Euro-African, which are attested earlier.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /jʊ(ə)ˈɹæfɹɪk(ə)n/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /jəˈɹæfɹəkən/, /jʊ-/
• Hyphenation: Eur‧af‧ric‧an

Adjective

Eurafrican (not comparable)

1. Of or relating to the continents of, or countries in, both Europe and Africa; having both European and African characteristics.

   Synonyms: Eurafric, Euroafrican

   • 2025, Cid Swanenvleugel, The Pre-Roman Elements of the Sardinian Lexicon, page 12:

     The Eurafrican substrate [hypothesis] is based mainly on comparisons between Sardinian, Berber and Basque, as well as on comparanda from Gallo-Romance and Insular Celtic.

2. Of a person: of mixed European and African descent; (specifically, South Africa) synonym of colored (“belonging to a multiracial ethnic group or category, having ancestry from more than one of the racial groups of Southern Africa (black, white, and Asian)”).

   Synonyms: Afropean, Euroafrican

3. (anthropology, archaic) Of a person: from the parts of Europe and North Africa surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.

Related terms

• Eurafrica
• Euroafrican, Euro-African (adjective, noun)

Translations

of or relating to the continents of, or countries in, both Europe and Africa; having both European and African characteristics

• Finnish: euro-afrikkalainen
• French: eurafricain (fr)
• Italian: eurafricano (it)
• Macedonian: please add this translation if you can
• Romanian: eurafrican

of a person: of mixed European and African descent

• Finnish: eurooppalais-afrikkalainen
• Macedonian: please add this translation if you can

synonym of colored — see colored

of a person: from the parts of Europe and North Africa surrounding the Mediterranean Sea

• Finnish: Välimereltä (adverbial)
• Macedonian: please add this translation if you can

Noun

Eurafrican (plural Eurafricans)

1. A person of mixed European and African descent.

   Synonyms: Afropean, Euroafrican

   • 1981, William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology, Sexuality and the Origins of Culture, London: Rider/Hutchinson & Co., page 153:

     Just how cosmopolitan the town was is clear from the fact that two different races are found buried in the graves: the dolichocephalic Eurafrican, and the brachycephalic Proto-Mediterranean.

   1. An African person with European ancestors.
   2. (South Africa) Synonym of colored (“a person having ancestry from more than one of the racial groups of Southern Africa (black, white, and Asian)”). [from late 19th c.]

      Synonym: Euroafrican

Translations

person of mixed European and African descent

• Finnish: eurooppalais-afrikkalainen
• Macedonian: please add this translation if you can

African person with European ancestors

• Finnish: eurooppalais-afrikkalainen
• Macedonian: please add this translation if you can

synonym of colored — see colored

Further reading

• Douglas Harper (2001–2025) “Eurafrican”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.