mulatto

American  

[muh-lat-oh, -lah-toh, myoo-] / məˈlæt oʊ, -ˈlɑ toʊ, myu- /

noun

plural

mulattoes, mulattos

1. Anthropology. (not in technical use) the offspring of one white parent and one Black parent.

2. Older Use: Offensive. a person who has both Black and white ancestors.

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adjective

1. of a light-brown color.

mulatto British  

/ mjuːˈlætəʊ /

noun

1. a person having one Black and one White parent

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adjective

1. of a light brown colour

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:

• mestizo vs. mulatto
• octoroon vs. mulatto

Example Sentences

How does “Passing” try to rebuke the tragic mulatto trope and why do you think Hollywood has historically ignored stories like this?

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 11, 2021

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

The question of a person’s “color” first appeared on the 1850 Census, with three options given: white, black or mulatto.

From Washington Post • Aug. 12, 2021

One tamale looks volcanic, the masa haunted by a rust-red ombre of mole poblano, a meld of raisins, almonds, plantains, chocolate, cinnamon, sesame seeds and mulatto, pasilla and ancho chiles, gradations of sweetness and heat.

From New York Times • Nov. 17, 2016

Records show that by the time of the American Revolution, an estimated 5 percent of Virginia’s enslaved population—totaling some 210,000 people in 1776—was considered mulatto.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis