redskin en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈɹɛdˌskɪn/ (General-American)
- (US) audio
Etymology
From red + skin. References to indigenous Americans' skin being red can be found from the 1580s, although not consistently (another European in 1584 described indigenous Americans as "yellowish"); in some cases the reference may be not to their skin color per se but to their painting themselves with red paint. A letter ostensibly from 1699, which was formerly cited as the earliest reference to "red skins", was not published until 1900 and is now recognized as fake. The earliest documented instance of the term "redskin" is from a 1769 discussion between the Piankeshaw and John Wilkins, this and other early uses appear to be translating terms meaning red + skin, flesh, or people that the tribes of the Illinois / Mississippi Valley area used to refer to themselves when communicating with the French (who translated such terms as French peau-rouge) and with English-speakers (whence redskin). Piecewise doublet of Rauðskinna.
Meanings
- (ethnic, offensive, slur) A Native American.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| redskins | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| Redskin | alternative | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Relateds
Red Indian · redskinned · redskin onion
Synonyms
Translations (27)
be чырванаску́ры (an American Indian) · ru красноко́жий (an American Indian) · mk црвеноко́ж (an American Indian) · vo redaskinan (an American Indian) · cmn 紅種人 /红种人 (an American Indian) · da rødhud (an American Indian) · ar أَمْرِيكِيّ أَصْلِيّ (an American Indian) · it pellerossa (an American Indian) · vi người da đỏ (an American Indian) · et punanahk (an American Indian) · es piel roja (an American Indian) · uk червоношкі́рий (an American Indian) · bg червеноко́ж (an American Indian) · ka წითელკანიანი (an American Indian) · hu rézbőrű (an American Indian) · pl czerwonoskóry (an American Indian) · fi punanahka (an American Indian) · tr kızılderili (an American Indian) · fr Peau-Rouge (an American Indian) · sv rödskinn (an American Indian) · el ερυθρόδερμος (an American Indian) · ar هِنْدِيّ أَحْمَر (an American Indian) · pt pele-vermelha (an American Indian) · mi kiriwhero (an American Indian) · ru красноко́жая (an American Indian) · cmn 紅人 /红人 (an American Indian) · de Rothaut (an American Indian)