African

The word “African” means relating to or coming from the continent of Africa. In plain terms, to do with Africa or its people.

“African” is pronounced AF-rih-kuhn (/ˈæf.ɹɪ.kən/ in IPA).

Here is “African” used in a sentence: “African wildlife includes elephants, lions, and giraffes.”

Depending on how it is used, “African” can be an adjective and a noun.

The word “African” comes from Latin. From Latin Africanus, built from Afri, an ancient name for the peoples living near Carthage in what is now Tunisia.

“African” is a very common word in modern English.

“African” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to or coming from the continent of Africa.

No. Africa is a continent made up of 54 recognised countries, so 'African' is not a single nationality. People from the continent hold specific nationalities — Nigerian, Kenyan, Egyptian, and so on. African is a broad term describing the continent, its peoples, cultures, and origins, not one country or passport.

African relates to the continent of Africa and the people, cultures, and things that come from it. African American refers specifically to Americans who have African ancestry, usually citizens of the United States. So one describes the continent broadly, while the other names a particular community within American society.

The term spans the whole continent, which has 54 fully recognised sovereign countries, from Egypt and Morocco in the north to South Africa at the tip. Africa is enormously diverse, with thousands of languages and cultures, so 'African' is a broad umbrella rather than a single, uniform identity.