octoroon

[ ok-tuh-roon ]

/ ˌɒk təˈrun /

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noun Older Use: Offensive.

a person having one-eighth Black ancestry, with one Black great-grandparent; the offspring of a quadroon and a white person.

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Origin of octoroon

An Americanism dating back to 1855–60; octo- + (quad)roon

Words nearby octoroon

octomerous, octometer, octonary, octopod, octopus, octoroon, octosyllabic, octosyllable, octroi, octuple, octuplet

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use octoroon in a sentence

But once you get into octoroon territory, it holds far less mystique.
A Jewish American In Paris|Euny Hong|January 15, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I have neglected to tell you that the mother hen is black, and struts with pompous pride above her white and octoroon subjects.
The Flag Replaced on Sumter|William A. Spicer
Vividly told, with a beautiful Octoroon as the central figure.
Four Years in Rebel Capitals|T. C. DeLeon
The face was that of an octoroon; her figure tall and full of dignity.
Sons and Fathers|Harry Stillwell Edwards

A pause and the tall figure of the octoroon crossed the white walk.
Sons and Fathers|Harry Stillwell Edwards
The mother of this man is an octoroon, who now resides with him at his home in the suburbs.
Sons and Fathers|Harry Stillwell Edwards

British Dictionary definitions for octoroon

octoroon

octaroon

/ (ˌɒktəˈruːn) /

noun

a person having one quadroon and one White parent and therefore having one-eighth Black bloodCompare quadroon

Word Origin for octoroon

C19: octo- + -roon as in quadroon

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