mulatto
Americannoun
plural
mulattoes, mulattos-
Anthropology. (not in technical use) the offspring of one white parent and one Black parent.
-
Older Use: Offensive. a person who has both Black and white ancestors.
adjective
noun
adjective
Etymology
Origin of mulatto
First recorded in 1585–95; from Spanish mulato “young mule,” equivalent to mul(o) mule 1 + -ato of unclear origin
Compare meaning
How does mulatto compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
The noun mulatto is an outdated term for someone with one black parent and one white parent. This word is now considered to be offensive. It was common to describe a person with both black and white ancestry as a mulatto during the period of slavery in the United States. Because of its dehumanizing roots and usage, this word has fallen out of favor. Today, people are more likely to use terms like multiracial or mixed race — or simply to identify their specific cultural and ethnic heritage.
Vocabulary lists containing mulatto
Twelve Years a Slave
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Black Like Me
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Vocabulary from Readings 4, Unit 4
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mario, a mulatto laborer, grew up on the mean streets of Havana’s Miraflores district; Yolanda, who is white, educated and middle class, has been assigned to teach in a Miraflores primary school.
From New York Times • Jul. 6, 2022
He was “small for his age; he was a very light mulatto, with brown curly hair, thick lips and a defiant nose,” she wrote.
From Washington Post • Apr. 10, 2022
Another explanation lies in the easy tendency to lump the story in with the "tragic mulatto" trope, a crude designation defined by works like Fannie Hurst's "Imitation of Life."
From Salon • Nov. 11, 2021
A white doctor falls in love with a mulatto woman who has returned to Boston to raise money for a Southern school.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 6, 2019
Second, Third and Fourth avenues were inhabited mostly by Coloureds, the mulatto race which came into being nine months after white settlers arrived in South Africa in 1652—without women.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
