squaw-man
Definition
Noun: - A white man married to a Native American woman: "squaw-man" refers to a white settler or European-descended man who married a Native American woman, often in the context of North American frontier history. This term is now considered outdated and potentially offensive due to its racial and colonial connotations.
Usage Examples
- (A white man who married a Native American woman.)
- (White men married to Native women who served as cultural bridges.)
Advanced Usage
- Historical context: The term was used in the 19th and early 20th centuries, often with a derogatory or patronizing tone, reflecting colonial attitudes. It is rarely used today except in historical discussions.
- In frontier narratives, the squaw-man was sometimes portrayed as a traitor to his own race. (A white man married to a Native woman was seen negatively by some settlers.)
Variants and Related Words
- Squaw (n): an offensive and outdated term for a Native American woman, now considered a racial slur.
- The word "squaw" is widely rejected by indigenous communities today. (The term is derogatory.)
- Squaw-man is a compound word and should not be confused with the separate term "squaw."
Synonyms
- Frontier husband: a man who married into a Native American tribe on the frontier (neutral description).
- White-Indian intermarried man: a descriptive phrase for a white man in such a marriage.
Related Idioms
- No common idioms are associated with this specific term.