African

1 of 2

noun

Af·​ri·​can ˈa-fri-kən 

 also  ˈä-

1

: a native or inhabitant of Africa

2

: a person and especially a Black person of African ancestry

African

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the continent of Africa or its people

Africanness

ˈa-fri-kə(n)-nəs 

noun

Examples of African in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

There is no official number, but it's estimated that hundreds of thousands of African Americans were murdered during this period in American history.2 Generational trauma related to an oppressive history takes generations of healing to overcome, and remnants of systematic inequality still exist. —Kimanzi Constable, Parents, 6 Sep. 2024

The conglomerate boldly amplifies diverse voices within the Black African diaspora, while cautiously avoiding tokenism. —Ime Ekpo, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2024

Adjective

Meanwhile, In Africa Bloomberg has taken time to profile Shenzhen Transsion Holdings Co and its success in the African market. —Ewan Spence, Forbes, 20 Sep. 2024

These acts still reverberate today—studies show that almost two-thirds of Black children are unable to swim, compared to 40 percent of their White peers, and African American children are almost six times more likely than White children to die by drowning in a pool. —Essence, 20 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English Aufrican, Affrican, going back to Old English Africanas (plural), borrowed from Latin Āfricānus african entry 2

Adjective

borrowed from Latin Āfricānus, from Āfrica (short for Āfrica terra, literally, "African land," from feminine of Āfricus "of the Roman province of Africa [present-day northern Tunisia], of the continent of Africa," from Āfr-, Āfer "of Africa, inhabitant of North Africa [other than Egypt]" —of unknown origin— + -icus -ic entry 1) + -ānus -an entry 2

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1548, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing African

• African American
• African American English
• African American Language
• African American Vernacular English
• African buffalo
• African clawed frog
• African clawed toad
• African daisy
• African elephant
• African gray
• African hunting dog
• African mahogany
• African sleeping sickness
• African swine fever
• African violet
• African wild dog
• inter-African
• non-African
• South African

Kids Definition

African

noun

Af·​ri·​can

ˈaf-ri-kən

1

: a person born or living in Africa

2

: a person of African ancestry

African adjective