brownface

[ broun-feys ]

noun

1. makeup used to darken one’s face and other exposed skin to imitate the skin tone of an ethnic or racial group, as Hispanic, South Asian, or Middle Eastern:

   People were offended when he arrived at the Cinco de Mayo party wearing brownface.

2. imitation of a minority group member’s appearance, speech, traditional dress, etc., by a person who is not a member of that group:

   White voice-over actors have recently come under fire for performing brownface with stereotypical Indian or Mexican accents.

Word History and Origins

Origin of brownface¹

First recorded in 1965–70; brown ( def ) + face ( def )

Example Sentences

Many debates have erupted over the years about the musical’s brownface origins and cartoonish depictions of its Puerto Rican characters.

From Time