African
🇬🇧 /ˈæfrɪkən/
🇺🇸 /ˈæfrəkən/
📖 Definitions
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noun
A native or inhabitant of Africa, or a person of African descent.; A person of Black African descent living outside Africa, especially in the Americas or Europe.
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adjective
Of or relating to Africa, its people, cultures, or languages.; Of or relating to people of African descent.
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noun
Any of the numerous languages spoken in Africa, belonging to several language families including Niger-Congo, Afroasiatic, Nilo-Saharan, and Khoisan.; A type of large, dark-colored butterfly found in Africa or resembling African species.; A dark-skinned person, used historically in various colonial and racial contexts (now often considered outdated or offensive).
🔗 Details
Word forms
countable
Plural: Africans
Collocations
African AmericanAfrican continentAfrican cultureAfrican UnionAfrican wildlifesub-Saharan African
Derivatives
AfricanizeAfricanizationAfricanistAfroAfrican-AmericanPan-African
Commonly confused
Afro
EN: 'Afro' is a prefix (Afro-Caribbean) or refers to a hairstyle; 'African' is the full adjective or noun for people/things from Africa.
African-American
EN: 'African-American' specifically refers to Americans of African descent; 'African' refers more broadly to anything from the continent of Africa.
Spelling tips
EN: Always capitalize 'African' as it derives from the proper noun 'Africa'. Do not lowercase it even when used as an adjective.
💬 Examples
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The conference brought together Africans from across the continent.
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Many Africans in the diaspora maintain strong cultural ties to their ancestral homeland.
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The museum featured an impressive collection of African art.
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African American culture has profoundly influenced music, literature, and cuisine worldwide.
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Swahili is one of the most widely spoken African languages.
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The African monarch butterfly is known for its striking orange and black wings.
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Historical documents from the colonial era frequently used the term 'African' to refer to enslaved people.