Dictionary

niggerism en · NOUN

Etymology

Etymology tree English nigger Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism English niggerism From nigger + -ism.

Meanings

1. (countable, derogatory, ethnic, offensive, slur) Something characteristic of black people.
   • Some refuse to countenance Negro music on the grounds that it is niggerism, and for that reason should be done away with. 1990, Mary Lynn Broe, The Gender of Modernism, A Critical Anthology, page 182:
   • But as it was, not until the 1940s did the industry begin to depart significantly from the stereotypes with their "insulting niggerisms"... 1975, Daniel J Leab, From Sambo to Superspade: the Black experience in motion pictures:
   • He loved their tricks of language, loved to pick up and feel and taste new words from their rich reservoir of niggerisms. 1970, Claude McKay, Banjo:
2. (dated, derogatory, ethnic, offensive, slur, uncountable) Political support for black people.
   • The spot quoted a Klan official saying, "In Alabama, we hate niggerism, Catholicism, and Judaism." 1988, Philip M Seib, Who's in Charge?:
   • "We represent the majority of the people in Alabama who hate niggerism, Catholicism, Judaism, and all the -isms of the whole world." So said Robert Creel of the Alabama Klu Klux Klan. He also said, "I like Barry Goldwater. He needs our help." 1964, Unnamed narrator, KKK and Goldwater:
   • Their black support confirmed the charge of "niggerism" and helped the Democrats turn the widespread Negrophobia to their account. 1976, William Fletcher Thompson, The History of Wisconsin:

Forms