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Uncle Tomism

American  
[uhng-kuhl tom-iz-uhm] / ˈʌŋ kəl ˈtɒm ɪz əm /

noun

  1. a pattern of social behavior characterized by a willingly submissive attitude on the part of the Black participants in a given interaction and a benevolent but patronizing attitude on the part of the white participants.

Etymology

Origin of Uncle Tomism

An Americanism dating back to 1935–40; Uncle Tom + -ism

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

At the intermission, we got to talking and I asked them if they remembered when “Porgy and Bess” was viewed as Uncle Tomism.

From New York Times • Jan. 22, 2012

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.