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Glite Dictionary
🌍 Relating to Black Americans 🧑🏿 A Black American
Afro-American

Afro-American

3.9
A person in the United States whose ancestors came from Africa, often from families of enslaved people
  • noun
  • /ˌæfroʊ əˈmɛrɪkən/
  • Archaic
translation icon : afroamericano
  • Many Afro-Americans celebrate their heritage through music, art, and cultural festivals.

There's a lot of intelligent Afro Americans out there and it really like depends on like where you grew up in.

Examples

  • During the event, they honored several prominent Afro-Americans who have made significant contributions to society.

  • An Afro-American author published a book that explores the history and struggles of her ancestors.

  • There's a lot of intelligent Afro Americans out there and it really like depends on like where you grew up in.

    Jubilee

Synonyms

African-American
vsAfro-American
  • US
199 2.8

A person in the United States whose family came from Africa, often brought there as slaves

is the same in meaning but uses a different name form
Black person
vsAfro-American
131 1.2

A person with dark skin whose family comes from Africa

refers specifically to people in the United States with African ancestral roots
Black American
vsAfro-American
24 2.0

An American person whose family comes from Africa

emphasizes descent from enslaved ancestors rather than any African origin

Surface Forms

Afro-American singular
Afro-Americans plural

Morphology

Afro-American = American (transparent) = Afro + American

The noun is formed by prefixing 'Afro-' to 'American', clearly indicating a person of African ancestry in the U.S.

Etymology

The word Afro-American combines Afro- (from 'Africa') and American (from 'America'). People used it to name someone in the United States whose family comes from Africa. It was especially common in the 20th century during the civil rights movement, so it means 'an American with African roots'.