English

Alternative forms

• African American

Adjective

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

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

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, nor is it used for white South Africans.

Synonyms

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

Translations

Noun

African-American ‎(plural African-Americans)

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

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.

Synonyms

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

Translations