neger
/ˈniːɡər/
noun
Origin
Latin
niger — black
Overview
Meaning Now
- A term of Dutch, Scandinavian, or German origin historically used to denote a person of Black African descent, now widely considered offensive or pejorative in most contexts.
Literal older meaning
black (person)
Language path
Latin → Spanish/Portuguese → Dutch/German/Scandinavian
Earliest form
neger
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The term emerged in Germanic languages during the expansion of the Atlantic slave trade. While once used neutrally as a descriptor, its heavy association with colonial exploitation and racial hierarchy caused it to fall out of use in polite discourse by the late 20th century, mirroring the negative shift of similar terms in other languages.
Evolution
- Latin
niger
“black”
- Spanish
negro
“black person”
Development of the noun from the adjective.
- Early Modern Dutch
neger
“black person”
Borrowed into Dutch/Germanic contexts from Romance forms.
Connections
Word parts
neg-
root
black
-er
suffix
agentive or descriptor suffix
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Related to neger
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.