African

1 of 2

noun

Af·​ri·​can ˈa-fri-kən How to pronounce African (audio)
 also  ˈä-
1
: a native or inhabitant of Africa
2
: a person and especially a Black person of African ancestry

African

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the continent of Africa or its people
Africanness noun

Examples of African in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
While the African Americans comprise approximately 14% of the U.S. population, only 2.3% are owners of employer firms. Rohit Arora, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 The researchers assessed the pledges of 35 different countries participating in the African Forest Restoration Initiative (AFR100), which aims to restore 100 million hectares of forest across Africa by 2030. Popular Science, 15 Feb. 2024 Yet African artists have been honored at the Grammys since fellow South African Miriam Makeba won for Best Folk Record in 1966. Vanessa Offiong, CNN, 15 Feb. 2024 Representatives from 15 nations in the Southern African Development Community have agreed to a collective mobilization that includes investing in vaccine production and distribution, collaborating on surveillance for the illness across borders and developing reliable water and sanitation systems. Jeffrey Moyo, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2024 He was called into camp for Tanzania’s African Cup of Nations squad in December, but did not make the final roster. Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 13 Feb. 2024 Best African Music Performance is one of three brand new categories debuting at the 2024 Grammy Awards, along with Best Alternative Jazz Album and Best Pop Dance Recording. Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 4 Feb. 2024 In 1881, Armstrong referred Washington to become the leader of a new school for African Americans in Alabama, the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute — now known as Tuskegee University. Tobi Raji, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2024 Uncle Waffles is taking DJing to another level, coming out from behind the decks to groove with her dancers — emphasizing performance along with specializing in the South African Amapiano genre. Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 4 Feb. 2024
Adjective
Cocoa prices have been on a tear for months, following torrential rains in the West African growing region that have led to a mounting production shortfall. David J. Lynch, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 Many of the drivers in Minneapolis are African immigrants who have been pushing for higher wages at the state and city levels since 2022. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024 Durkin, a scholar of slavery and the African diaspora, traces them to communities in Alabama established by the formerly enslaved, such as Africatown and Gee’s Bend, and finds in their stories antecedents for the Harlem Renaissance and the civil-rights movement. The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 As an alternative, South African brand Maxhosa’s vivid Xhosa beadwork patterns and colors shine through in this fun bucket hat. Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2024 In the past, researchers have observed African forest elephants covering deceased herd members with leaves and branches. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Mar. 2024 This is politics presented as grand spectacle and ironic comedy: an original treatment of how a young popular African leader was assassinated in a coup d’etat so that colonial powers can keep profiting from his country’s mineral wealth. Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 11 Mar. 2024 Its aim is to help people of African descent recover from the effects of racial trauma and to make space in the wellness industry for this kind of healing practice. Nafeesah Allen, Health, 11 Mar. 2024 Actress and comedian Whoopi Goldberg was the first woman and African American to host the Oscars solo in 1994. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 10 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'African.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English Aufrican, Affrican, going back to Old English Africanas (plural), borrowed from Latin Āfricānus african entry 2

Adjective

borrowed from Latin Āfricānus, from Āfrica (short for Āfrica terra, literally, "African land," from feminine of Āfricus "of the Roman province of Africa [present-day northern Tunisia], of the continent of Africa," from Āfr-, Āfer "of Africa, inhabitant of North Africa [other than Egypt]" —of unknown origin— + -icus -ic entry 1) + -ānus -an entry 2

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1548, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of African was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near African

Cite this Entry

“African.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/African. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

African

noun
Af·​ri·​can
ˈaf-ri-kən
1
: a person born or living in Africa
2
: a person of African ancestry
African adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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