Dictionary

pigmentocracy en · NOUN

Etymology

Etymology tree English pigment Ancient Greek -ο- (-o-)der. Latin -o-bor. English -o- Proto-Indo-European *kret-der. Ancient Greek κρᾰ́τος (krắtos) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā) Ancient Greek -κρᾰτῐ́ᾱ (-krătĭ́ā)bor. English -cracy English pigmentocracy From pigment + -o- + -cracy.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) Government by or social hierarchy of those with a certain skin tone, regardless of race or socioeconomic status.
   • Black America used to be, and perhaps still is, a pigmentocracy, which means that the social hierarchy is based largely on colorism. 2011, Don Lemon, Transparent, Las Vegas: Farrah Gray, →ISBN:

Forms