Uncle Tom

American  

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.

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Uncle Tom British  

noun

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

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Usage

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 ]

Other Word Forms

• Uncle Tomish
  adjective
• Uncle Tomism
  noun

Etymology

Origin of Uncle Tom

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

Example Sentences

"Our dear Uncle Tom, we loved him so much. He is my main memory of the war, and his photo is still by my bedside," said Dulcie, who turns 90 in June.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

Bingham argues that this early version, which was called “Poor Uncle Tom, Good Night!,” adapted and bent the story by Harriet Beecher Stowe.

From Washington Post • May 3, 2022

But Foster ultimately cut explicit references to Uncle Tom, preferring ambiguity about slavery.

From Salon • May 1, 2021

Uncle Tom was keen Bill should be made to listen to his chirpy cockney accent, which he claimed he didn’t have.

From The Guardian • Dec. 18, 2019

Before the Civil War, eight different plays based on the life of Uncle Tom had been written and produced, without Mrs. Stowe’s consent.

From "Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad" by Ann Petry