Afro

[ af-roh ]

/ ˈæf roʊ /

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noun, plural Af·ros.

a hairstyle originating with Black people, in which naturally curly or frizzy hair is cut into a full, bushy shape all over the head.

adjective

of or relating to African Americans or to Black traditions, culture, etc.: Afro societies.

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Origin of Afro

First recorded in 1965–70; independent use of Afro-

Other definitions for Afro (2 of 2)

Afro-

a combining form of Africa: Afro-American; Afro-Asiatic.

Also especially before a vowel, Afr-.

Origin of Afro-

<Latin Āfr- (stem of Āfer an African) + -o-

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use Afro in a sentence

I was a dorky Indo-English kid with a South Asian afro, and he was the all-American type, on the baseball team, et cetera.
How Aasif Mandvi Became Jon Stewart’s Favorite Jihadi|Dean Obeidallah|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Tarantino still had his heart set on the Afro, but then Jackson stepped in.
The Secrets of ‘Pulp Fiction’: 20 Things You Didn’t Know About the Movie on Its 20th Anniversary|Marlow Stern|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They saw him in his 30s, sporting a huge Afro and smoking a big cigar on The Dick Cavett Show.
Why Comedians Still Think Bill Cosby Is a Genius|Mark Whitaker|October 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Equally incisive were Danny Welbeck and Daniel Sturridge, and the three young Afro-Englishmen electrified the game.
The Group of Life|Tunku Varadarajan|June 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST

During the ride, Jai Johany plays lacy Afro jazz on a cassette machine, frowning, saying nothing.
Stacks: Hitting the Note with the Allman Brothers Band|Grover Lewis|March 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Dolores could not understand their low conversation in English—and Afro-Americanese!
The Ghost Breaker|Charles Goddard
Many other eminent men have shared the same opinion, and not a few prominent leaders among the Afro-American people.
Thomas Jefferson|Edward S. Ellis et. al.
Graveyard rabbits, when indubitably known to be such, decorate no Afro-American skillet.
Sundry Accounts|Irvin S. Cobb
The evolution of the Afro-American soldier was the work of a short period and suffered many interruptions.
The Colored Regulars in the United States Army|T. G. Steward
An Afro-Asian with skin like dark honey and smooth, pleasant, rather flat features.
It's All Yours|Sam Merwin

British Dictionary definitions for Afro (1 of 2)

Afro

/ (ˈæfrəʊ) /

noun plural -ros

a hairstyle in which the hair is shaped into a wide frizzy bush

Word Origin for Afro

C20: independent use of Afro-

British Dictionary definitions for Afro (2 of 2)

Afro-

combining form

indicating Africa or AfricanAfro-Asiatic

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012