N-word

American

[en-wurd] / ˈɛnˌwɜrd /

Also n word or n-word

noun

a euphemism for the word nigger .

His use of the highly offensive N-word during a televised broadcast caused outrage.

n-word British

noun

offensive (sometimes capital) a euphemistic way of referring to the word nigger

"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

Usage

See nigger.

Etymology

Origin of N-word

First recorded in 1985–90

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.

They did not repeat the N-word while discussing the book in their classroom, she said.

From BBC • Dec. 23, 2024

The discourse around hip hop often harps on Black artists who use the "N-word", stokes racialized resentment of rappers for "driving in Mercedes-Benzs," and hyperventilates over lyrics that celebrate sexual freedom.

From Salon • Dec. 5, 2022

The N-word is evolving, as language does over time.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2022

India Arie has labeled Joe Rogan "consciously racist" for his repeated use of the N-word.

From Fox News • Feb. 15, 2022

In 1963, Interior Secretary Stuart Udall ordered the removal from federal maps all places with names that include the N-word.

From Washington Times • Jul. 27, 2021

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023