Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

quarter-breed

noun

Definition of quarter-breed 

dated, now often offensive

: a person with three grandparents of one and the fourth from another race specifically : a person one fourth American Indian and three fourths white

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Learn More about quarter-breed

Share quarter-breed

Resources for quarter-breed

Cite Time Traveler Time Traveler! Explore the year a word first appeared

Dictionary Entries near quarter-breed

quarter boot

quarter-bound

quarter box

quarter-breed

quarter butt

quarter cask

quarter-cleft

Statistics for quarter-breed

Look-up Popularity

Comments on quarter-breed

What made you want to look up quarter-breed? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

secrete

to deposit or conceal in a hiding place

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Name that Food Quiz

  • alt-573b465788319
  • Name these cookies!
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Citation

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games