Definition

Noun: 1. A person with one Black parent and one white parent: Historically, this term referred specifically to a person of mixed Black and white ancestry. It is now considered dated and often offensive.

Usage

• The term is used as a countable noun to describe a person's mixed racial heritage.
• Important Note: This term originates from colonial and racial classification systems. It is now widely considered archaic, imprecise, and potentially offensive. Modern, respectful language prefers specific descriptions like "mixed-race" or "biracial," or simply acknowledges a person's specific cultural or ethnic background without using outdated labels.

Examples

• Historical/Descriptive Context:
• Outdated/Offensive Usage (for illustration):

Advanced Usage

• The term is primarily encountered in historical documents, literature, or discussions about historical racial attitudes and classifications. Its use in contemporary language to describe a person is strongly discouraged.

Variants and Related Words

• Mulatta (noun, feminine): A dated term for a woman or girl of mixed Black and white ancestry.
• Biracial (adjective): Of, relating to, or involving members of two races. (Preferred modern term, e.g., "a biracial individual").
• Mixed-race (adjective): Having parents or ancestors from different racial groups. (Preferred modern term).

Synonyms

• Biracial person (modern, preferred)
• Person of mixed race (modern, preferred)
• Half-caste (dated and highly offensive)
• Mixed-blood (dated and often offensive)

Notes on Meaning and Usage

• The term is part of a historical spectrum of racial classifications (e.g., quadroon, octoroon) that attempted to quantify "blood quantum." These concepts are rejected by modern understandings of race and identity.
• Its continued use can perpetuate harmful historical stereotypes and racial hierarchies. When discussing historical contexts, it is often used with quotation marks or preceded by "the outdated term" to signal its problematic nature.

Noun

1. an offspring of a black and a white parent