Jim-Crow

or jim-crow

[ jim-kroh ]

/ ˈdʒɪmˈkroʊ /

adjective

favoring or supporting Jim Crow.

for black people only: a Jim-Crow school.

Definition for jim-crow (2 of 2)

Jim Crow

or jim crow

noun

a practice or policy of segregating or discriminating against black people, as in public places, public vehicles, or employment.

Disparaging and Offensive. a contemptuous term used to refer to a black person.

Origin of Jim Crow

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40; so called from the name of a song sung by Thomas Rice (1808–60) in a minstrel show

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for jim-crow

His jim-crow freight outfit didn't cut much of a figure in their track schedules.
Held for Orders|Frank H. Spearman
Accustomed to the jim-crow coach, the Pullman with its comfortable bed, its luxurious dining-car, was a revelation.
The Shadow|Mary White Ovington
This is the meaning of the Southern movement for segregating the races, of its jim-crow car laws and waiting-rooms.
The Ultimate Criminal|Archibald H. Grimke

British Dictionary definitions for jim-crow

jim crow

/ (ˈdʒɪm ˈkrəʊ) /

noun (often capitals) US

the policy or practice of segregating Black people
(as modifier)jim-crow laws

a derogatory term for a Black person
(as modifier)a jim-crow saloon

an implement for bending iron bars or rails

a crowbar fitted with a claw

Derived forms of jim crow

jim-crowism, noun

Word Origin for jim crow

C19: from Jim Crow, name of song used as the basis of an act by Thomas Rice (1808–60), American entertainer

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

Culture definitions for jim-crow