Advertisement
Advertisement
schvartze
[ shvahr-tsuh; English shvahrt-suh ]
noun
, Yiddish: Usually Disparaging and Offensive.
- a term used by some Jewish people to refer to a Black person.
Discover More
Sensitive Note
Schvartze was used through the 1960s (and even later by the older generation) to refer specifically to a Black housekeeper or servant. The term was not always used contemptuously; in fact, the Yiddish noun is derived from a merely descriptive adjective meaning "black" (German schwarz ). However, schvartze has been categorized by some as an inside “code word,” a less transparent equivalent of nigger, and so the term has fallen into disrepute.
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of schvartze1
First recorded in 1960–65; from Yiddish shvarts “black”; compare German schwartz
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse