Middle Passage

noun

: the forced voyage of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas

Examples of Middle Passage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
African Americans used music from the Middle Passage through slavery, and through other generations. Demetrius Patterson, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2024 Locally, they are also seen as a tribute to those lost throughout the slave trade due to the proximity to the harrowing Middle Passage, with the shackle-like metal that connects the children’s arms. Natalie Preddie, Travel + Leisure, 19 Sep. 2024 Great Britain and colonial slavery Starting in the 1660s, Great Britain brutally transported about 3.4 million Africans to be enslaved in the Americas – with about half a million dying during the harrowing journey known as the Middle Passage. Devoney Looser, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2024 The improvisational elements of jazz can be traced to the Middle Passage from Africa to the Americas, where slaves shackled to the bottoms of ships invented songs, according to Mr. Rabaka. Ryan Doan-Nguyen and Aaron Morrison, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for Middle Passage 

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Middle Passage was in 1788

Dictionary Entries Near Middle Passage

Cite this Entry

“Middle Passage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Middle%20Passage. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

Middle Passage

noun
: the forced voyage of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas

More from Merriam-Webster on Middle Passage

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!