half-breed

American  

[haf-breed, hahf-] / ˈhæfˌbrid, ˈhɑf- /

noun

1. a contemptuous term used to refer to the offspring of parents of different racial origin, especially the offspring of an American Indian and a white person of European descent.

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adjective

1. of or relating to such offspring.

half-breed British  

noun

1. offensive a person whose parents are of different races, esp the offspring of a White person and an American Indian

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or designating offspring of people or animals of different races or breeds

Etymology

Origin of half-breed

An Americanism dating back to 1750–60

Example Sentences

Is it a carrot's little offspring, or some kind of mutant half-breed?

From Slate • May 17, 2012

In addition to replacing the N-word, Gribben changes the villain in "Tom Sawyer" from "Injun Joe" to "Indian Joe" and "half-breed" becomes "half-blood."

From Seattle Times • Jan. 5, 2011

He says it best himself on the last cut, Testimony: "Bear witness, I'm wailing like the wind/ Come bear witness, the half-breed rides again."

From Time Magazine Archive

Simultaneously, and subterraneanly, he's also been a wolf-man: Lucian, the half-breed in the Underworld thrillers, whose first two installments, from 2003 and 2006, grossed about $200 million worldwide.

From Time Magazine Archive

He was afraid that Thornton would pass out of his life as Perrault and François and the Scotch half-breed had passed out.

From "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London