octoroon

noun

oc·​to·​roon ˌäk-tə-ˈrün How to pronounce octoroon (audio)
plural octoroons
dated, offensive
: a person of one-eighth Black ancestry

Word History

Etymology

octa- + -roon (as in quadroon)

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of octoroon was in 1859

Browse Nearby Words

octopus
octoroon
octospore
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Octoroon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/octoroon. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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