nigger
/ˈnɪɡər/
noun
Origin
Latin
niger — black
Overview
Meaning Now
- A highly offensive, disparaging, and discriminatory racial slur directed at Black people.
Language path
Latin → Spanish/Portuguese → English
Earliest form
neger
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The term evolved from the Latin 'niger' (black). In the context of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, it was borrowed into colonial English via Spanish ('negro') and Portuguese. By the 19th century, it was firmly established as an instrument of white supremacist power, dehumanization, and racial violence in the United States.
Evolution
- Latin
niger
“black”
- Spanish
negro
“black (person)”
- 17th century English
neger
“Black person”
Used initially as a descriptor, later becoming derogatory
- 19th century English
nigger
“derogatory term for a Black person”
Solidified as a racial slur in the context of chattel slavery and systemic racism
Connections
Related across languages
Spanish
negro
black
French
noir
black
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.