Uncle Tom

noun

Disparaging and Offensive.

1. a Black person, especially a man, considered by other Black people to be subservient to or to curry favor with white people.

2. a person who exhibits overly deferential behavior.

Uncle Tom

noun

1. informal,  a Black person whose behaviour towards White people is regarded as obsequious and servile

Other Word Forms

• Uncle Tomish adjective
• Uncle Tomism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Uncle Tom¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1920–25; so called after the leading character in Uncle Tom's Cabin

Word History and Origins

Origin of Uncle Tom¹

C20: after the slave who is the main character of H.B. Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852)

When To Use

What does Uncle Tom mean?

Content warning: this article includes content dealing with slavery and racism.Uncle Tom is a fictional character in Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1852 novel Uncle Tom's Cabin. His name has become a highly offensive nickname some Black people use to accuse other Black people of subservient to white people and culture.How is Uncle Tom pronounced?[ uhng-kuhl tom ]