negro

The word “negro” means a dated and now offensive term for a Black person, once in common formal use but now considered outdated and inappropriate. In plain terms, an older word for a Black person that is now considered outdated and offensive in everyday use; it survives mainly in historical names and quoted text (e.g. the NAACP, "Negro spirituals").

“Negro” is pronounced NEEG-roh (/ˈniɡɹoʊ/ in IPA).

Here is “negro” used in a sentence: “The word appears in older census records and civil rights-era documents but is avoided today.”

Words with a similar meaning to “negro” include blackamoor, black and African-American.

“Negro” is a noun.

The word “negro” comes from Latin. From Spanish/Portuguese negro, "black," from Latin niger.

“Negro” is an uncommon word in modern English.

Negro is a dated term for a Black person that was once in common formal use but is now considered outdated and inappropriate. Language norms have shifted, and terms like Black or African-American are now the accepted standard in most contexts.

Contemporary usage favors terms such as Black or African-American instead of negro, which is now regarded as an outdated and offensive label.

Generally no in everyday or formal usage, since it is now considered offensive; it may still appear in historical texts, older organization names, or academic discussion of language history, where it is understood as a term of its time rather than a recommended word to use.