quadroon

American  

[kwo-droon] / kwɒˈdrun /

noun

Older Use: Offensive.

1. a person having one-fourth Black ancestry, with one Black grandparent; the offspring of a mulatto and a white person.

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quadroon British  

/ kwɒˈdruːn /

noun

1. the offspring of a Mulatto and a White person; a person who is one-quarter Black

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Etymology

Origin of quadroon

First recorded in 1640–50; alteration of Spanish cuarterón, derivative of cuarto “a fourth,” from Latin quartus; -oon

Example Sentences

The city had a unique, convoluted race and color taxonomy that included the designations of free person of color, slave, mulatto, griffe, quadroon, metis and sang-mêlé.

From Washington Post

The racial categories “quadroon” and “octoroon” once appeared on the census form.

From Economist

Thus, in a Louisiana Creole song, we find a quadroon mother promising her daughter a charm to prevent the white lover from forsaking her: "Pou tchomb� li na f� grigri."

From Project Gutenberg

Americans aren't far enough from the days when absurd categories like "mulatto," "quadroon" and "octoroon" had the power to determine people's lives.

From Salon

In this same connection it has been said that Dumas’ “quadroon autographs” were sold in the United States, to provide additional funds for the widows and orphans of slain abolitionists.

From Project Gutenberg