sambo

[ sam-boh ]

noun

, Older Use: Now Disparaging and Offensive.

, plural sam·bos.

1. a term used to refer to a Black person, especially a male.
2. Also zam·bo [] . Archaic. a term used to refer to a Latin American of Black and Native American ancestry, or a person of Black and white ancestry.

sambo

¹

/ ˈsæmbəʊ /

noun

1. a type of wrestling based on judo that originated in Russia and now features in international competitions

sambo

²

/ ˈsæmbəʊ /

noun

1. slang.
   an archaic and taboo word for a Black person: once used as a term of address
2. archaic.
   the offspring of a Black person and a member of another race or a mulatto

Sensitive Note

Sambo was a common given name among Black people during the slavery era; it was later a neutral term for a Black person. However, after World War II, an increasing sensitivity to racial stereotypes caused the term to be perceived as demeaning and insulting.

Derived Forms

• sambo wrestler, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sambo¹

An Americanism dating back to 1690–1700; from Colonial Spanish zambo “Black person, person of mixed race,” perhaps special use of Spanish zambo “bowlegged,” said to be from Latin scambus, from Greek skambós “crooked,” or perhaps from Kongo nzambu “monkey”

Word History and Origins

Origin of sambo¹

C20: from Russian sam ( ozashchita ) b ( ez ) o ( ruzhiya ) self-defence without weapons

Origin of sambo²

C18: from American Spanish zambo a person of Black descent; perhaps related to Bantu nzambu monkey

Example Sentences

My understanding is that this artwork came first and was soon replaced with the “Sambo as a baby genie” motif.

From The Daily Beast

In 1950, Peter Pan Records released an audio version of the story with the racially neutral title Little Brave Sambo.

From The Daily Beast

So all three of those might have been in the general Jungle-Bunny/Sambo family.

From The Daily Beast

Some will remember that there used to be a restaurant chain in this country called Sambo's.

From The Daily Beast

Of course the cook sought to counteract such tendencies, but he had to be very circumspect, for Sambo resented insults fiercely.

From Project Gutenberg

Sambo, our guard, for some reasons best known to himself, made no objections to the proceeding.

From Project Gutenberg

They are put on a tray of pure white wood with legs called Sambo—a dumb waiter, if you like.

From Project Gutenberg

Sambo could speak a little English, having wrought for several years on the coffee plantation of a Yankee settler.

From Project Gutenberg

“Hi–i; you is fuss rate,” said Sambo, as he and his comrades returned and busied themselves in cutting up the dead alligators.

From Project Gutenberg