Negrophile

[ nee-gruh-fahyl, -fil ]

noun

, Older Use: Often Offensive.

1. (sometimes lowercase) a white or other non-Black person who is especially sympathetic to or supportive of Black people.

Sensitive Note

See Black ¹.

Other Words From

• Ne·groph·i·lism [ni-, grof, -, uh, -liz-, uh, m], noun
• Ne·grophi·list noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Negrophile¹

First recorded in 1795–1805; Negro none + -phile none

Example Sentences

“Great jazz cities,” observes Paul Kinsey, the pipe-smoking Negrophile, leading Pete to a moment of epiphany: The Admiral brand is taking off among black consumers.

From Slate

Another regular guest, and just as controversial a character, was Carl Van Vechten, a writer whom a new biography describes as a negrophile: “a white man with a passion for blackness.”

From New York Times

Travelers Pola Negri, 41, oldtime siren of the silents, and Negrophile Nancy Cunard, the British shipping family's 45-year-old problem child, tangled with immigration officials in New York harbor.

From Time Magazine Archive

To John Hammond, pinko, Negrophile, jazz-purist and talent scout for Columbia, WPA seemed insulting to workers, degrading to Negroes.

From Time Magazine Archive

Negrophile Nancy Cunard wrote to him, asked him to contribute to a Negro anthology, was offended when McKay asked to be paid for it.

From Time Magazine Archive