pickaninny
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pick·a·nin·ny
(pĭk′ə-nĭn′ē)n. pl. pick·a·nin·nies Offensive
Used as a disparaging term for a young black child.
[Of West Indian creole and African creole origin; akin to Jamaican Patwa picknie, Krio (English-based creole of Sierra Leone) pikin, and Tok Pisin pikinini, child, all from a Portuguese-based pidgin, from Portuguese pequenino, diminutive of pequeno, small, Spanish pequeñ:o and Italian piccino, small.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
pickaninny
(ˌpɪkəˈnɪnɪ)n, pl -nies
a variant spelling (esp US) of piccaninny
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
pick•a•nin•ny
or pic•a•nin•ny
(ˈpɪk əˌnɪn i)n., pl. -nies.
usage: This term, though not usually used with disparaging intent, is perceived as highly insulting.
—n. Older Use: Extremely Offensive. (a term used to refer to a black child.)
[1645–55; probably ultimately < Portuguese pequenino, diminutive of pequeno small; compare Jamaican Creole E pickney small child]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Noun | 1. | pickaninny - (ethnic slur) offensive term for a Black child ethnic slur - a slur on someone's race or language Black person, blackamoor, Negro, Negroid, Black - a person with dark skin who comes from Africa (or whose ancestors came from Africa) |
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