Jap
(Predominantly U.S.) Offensive. Shortened from the word "Japanese", used derogatorily towards the group.[citation needed]
****
a derogatory term for Asians, used especially for enemy soldiers.[32] Its use as an ethnic slur has been traced to U.S. Marines serving in the Philippines in the early 20th century.[32] The earliest recorded use is dated 1920.[33] Widely popularized by the Vietnam War (1965–73).
Oriental
(Predominantly U.S., used elsewhere) Originally an acceptable term for referring to an Asian person and/or their ethnicity; now considered obsolete and mildly offensive due to its Euro-centric perspective which defined the world only in relation to Europe.
Nip
Offensive. A Japanese person. From "Nippon", first used in World War II[citation needed]
Slopehead, slope head or slope
Highly offensive reference to East Asians, specifically Vietnamese and Chinese. Earliest reference is US usage in Vietnam War period, also used in Australia.[citation needed]
South Asian descent
American-Born Confused Desi, or ABCD
(East Indians in U.S.): used for American-born South Asians including Indian/ Pakistani/ Bangladeshi (mainly Indians as Indians are the largest number of "South Asians") who are confused about their cultural identity. This is often used humorously without any derogatory meaning.
European descent
Afro-Saxon
(North America) A young white male devotee of black pop culture.[34]
Ann
A white woman to a black person – or a black woman who acts too much like a white one. While Miss Ann, also just plain Ann, is a derisive reference to the white woman, by extension it is applied to any black woman who puts on airs and tries to act like Miss Ann.[1]
Bule
(Indonesia) White people. Literally: albino, but used in the same way that 'colored' might be used to refer to a black person to mean any white person.[35]
Charlie
Mildly derogatory term used by African Americans, mainly in the 1960s and 1970s, to refer to a white person (from James Baldwin's novel, Blues For Mr. Charlie).[citation needed]
Coonass or coon-ass
(U.S.) a Cajun; may be derived from the French conasse. May be used among Cajuns themselves. Not considered to be derogatory in most circumstances.
Cracker
(U.S.) Derogatory term for whites, particularly from the American South.[36] May be used by whites themselves in a non-offensive manner.
Gringo
(The Americas) Non-Hispanic U.S. national. Hence Gringolandia, the United States; not always a pejorative term, unless used with intent to offend.[37]
Gubba
(AUS) Aboriginal (Koori) term for white people[38] – derived from Governor / Gubbanah
Gweilo, gwailo, or kwai lo (鬼佬)
(Hong Kong and South China) A White man. Gwei means "ghost." The color white is associated with ghosts in China. A lo is a regular guy (i.e. a fellow, a chap, or a bloke).[39] Once a mark of xenophobia, the word was promoted by Maoists and is now in general, informal use.[40]
Honky (U.S.)
Offensive term for a white person.
Haole (Hawaii)
Usually not offensive, can be derogatory if intended to offend. Used by modern-day Native Hawaiians to refer to anyone of European descent whether native born or not. Use has spread to many other islands of the Pacific and is known in modern pop culture.[41]
Mangia cake / cake (Canada)
A derogatory term used by Italians to disdainfully describe those of Anglo-Saxon descent (from Italian, literally 'cake eater'). One suggestion is that this term originated from the perception of Italian immigrants that Canadian bread is sweet as cake in comparison to the rustic bread eaten by Italians.[42]
Ofay
A white person[43]
Peckerwood
(U.S.) a white person (southerner). The term "Peckerwood," an inversion of "Woodpecker," is used as a pejorative term. This word was coined in the 19th century by Southern blacks to describe poor whites. They considered them loud and troublesome like the bird, and often with red hair like the woodpecker's head plumes.[44]
Roundeye
(English speaking Asians) a white or non-Asian person.[45]
******, Wegro
is a slang term for a white person who allophilically emulates mannerisms, slangs and fashions stereotypically associated with urban African Americans; especially in relation to hip hop culture.
Zog Lover
used by white nationalists to describe an Aryan who is subservient to the Jews ("Zog"=Zionist Occupation Government).[46]
Individual ethnicities
Americans
Merkin
The phrase "a merkin" sounds similar to "american", and is in common use by the British, especially expats and in online communities. (The precise meaning of the word is "pubic wig").
Yank
From the term "Yankee" used for people from New England,[47] often interrelated as slang, used within the UK (and sometimes Canada and Australia).
Septic
Cockney rhyming slang (from "Septic Tank", a part of sewage processing systems) rhyming with Yank.
British
See Alternative names for the British
Germans
See List of terms used for Germans
Irish
Mick
Derogatory term for an Irishman in the U.S. and U.K. It is derived from Mickey and Mikey, nicknames for Michael, a common Irish name for males after St. Michael.
Paddy
Derogatory term for an Irish man, derived from a nickname for Patrick, a common Irish name for males after St. Patrick.
Pogue
Epithet derived from the Irish phrase, "Pog mo Thoin", meaning kiss my ass. It is generally not considered offensive.
Taig
Extremely offensive term often used to describe Catholics in Northern Ireland. It often has implications of Republican sympathy.
Italians
Dago
(U.S.) A person of Italian descent.
Ginzo
(U.S.) an Italian-American.[48]
Goombah
An Italian male, especially an Italian thug or mafioso.
Greaseball
(U.S.) A person of Italian descent.[49]
Guido
(US) An Italian-American male. Usually offensive. Derives from the Italian given name, Guido. Used mostly in the Northeastern United States as a stereotype for working-class urban Italian-Americans.[50]
Guinea
(U.S.) someone of Italian descent. (Derives from "Guinea Negro," was called because of some Italians who had dark complexions)[51]
Wog
(Aus) Australian slur for people of Mediterranean and Southern European descent, such as Italians, Greeks, and Spaniards. It also extends to Middle Eastern Mediterranean people, such as the Lebanese, Turks, and Arabs.
Wop
(U.S.) A racial term for anyone of Italian descent, derived from the Italian dialectism, "guappo," close to "dude, swaggerer" and other informal appellations, a greeting among male Neapolitans.[52][53] With Out Passport/Papers or Working On Pavement are popular alternative etymologies for the slur, supposedly derived from Italians that arrived to North America as immigrants without papers and worked in construction and blue collar work. These acronyms are dismissed as folk etymology or backronyms by etymologists.
Jews
Heeb, Hebe
(U.S.) offensive term for a Jewish person, derived from the word "Hebrew".[54][55]
Hymie
A Jew, from the Hebrew Chaim ("life"). Also used in the term, "Hymie-town," a reference to New York, and in particular, Brooklyn.[56]
****
Yiddish word for "circle"—Illiterate Jews who entered the United States at Ellis Island signed their names with a circle instead of a cross because they associated the cross with Christianity.
Sheeny
From Yiddish "shaine" or German "schön" meaning "beautiful."[citation needed]
Shylock
Comes from Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice".
Yid
Yiddish word for Jew.[57]
Russians
Russki, Russkie
Sometimes disparaging when used by foreigners for "Russian",[58] although in the Russian language, it is a neutral term which simply means an ethnic Russian as opposed to a citizen of the Russian Federation.
(Predominantly U.S.) Offensive. Shortened from the word "Japanese", used derogatorily towards the group.[citation needed]
****
a derogatory term for Asians, used especially for enemy soldiers.[32] Its use as an ethnic slur has been traced to U.S. Marines serving in the Philippines in the early 20th century.[32] The earliest recorded use is dated 1920.[33] Widely popularized by the Vietnam War (1965–73).
Oriental
(Predominantly U.S., used elsewhere) Originally an acceptable term for referring to an Asian person and/or their ethnicity; now considered obsolete and mildly offensive due to its Euro-centric perspective which defined the world only in relation to Europe.
Nip
Offensive. A Japanese person. From "Nippon", first used in World War II[citation needed]
Slopehead, slope head or slope
Highly offensive reference to East Asians, specifically Vietnamese and Chinese. Earliest reference is US usage in Vietnam War period, also used in Australia.[citation needed]
South Asian descent
American-Born Confused Desi, or ABCD
(East Indians in U.S.): used for American-born South Asians including Indian/ Pakistani/ Bangladeshi (mainly Indians as Indians are the largest number of "South Asians") who are confused about their cultural identity. This is often used humorously without any derogatory meaning.
European descent
Afro-Saxon
(North America) A young white male devotee of black pop culture.[34]
Ann
A white woman to a black person – or a black woman who acts too much like a white one. While Miss Ann, also just plain Ann, is a derisive reference to the white woman, by extension it is applied to any black woman who puts on airs and tries to act like Miss Ann.[1]
Bule
(Indonesia) White people. Literally: albino, but used in the same way that 'colored' might be used to refer to a black person to mean any white person.[35]
Charlie
Mildly derogatory term used by African Americans, mainly in the 1960s and 1970s, to refer to a white person (from James Baldwin's novel, Blues For Mr. Charlie).[citation needed]
Coonass or coon-ass
(U.S.) a Cajun; may be derived from the French conasse. May be used among Cajuns themselves. Not considered to be derogatory in most circumstances.
Cracker
(U.S.) Derogatory term for whites, particularly from the American South.[36] May be used by whites themselves in a non-offensive manner.
Gringo
(The Americas) Non-Hispanic U.S. national. Hence Gringolandia, the United States; not always a pejorative term, unless used with intent to offend.[37]
Gubba
(AUS) Aboriginal (Koori) term for white people[38] – derived from Governor / Gubbanah
Gweilo, gwailo, or kwai lo (鬼佬)
(Hong Kong and South China) A White man. Gwei means "ghost." The color white is associated with ghosts in China. A lo is a regular guy (i.e. a fellow, a chap, or a bloke).[39] Once a mark of xenophobia, the word was promoted by Maoists and is now in general, informal use.[40]
Honky (U.S.)
Offensive term for a white person.
Haole (Hawaii)
Usually not offensive, can be derogatory if intended to offend. Used by modern-day Native Hawaiians to refer to anyone of European descent whether native born or not. Use has spread to many other islands of the Pacific and is known in modern pop culture.[41]
Mangia cake / cake (Canada)
A derogatory term used by Italians to disdainfully describe those of Anglo-Saxon descent (from Italian, literally 'cake eater'). One suggestion is that this term originated from the perception of Italian immigrants that Canadian bread is sweet as cake in comparison to the rustic bread eaten by Italians.[42]
Ofay
A white person[43]
Peckerwood
(U.S.) a white person (southerner). The term "Peckerwood," an inversion of "Woodpecker," is used as a pejorative term. This word was coined in the 19th century by Southern blacks to describe poor whites. They considered them loud and troublesome like the bird, and often with red hair like the woodpecker's head plumes.[44]
Roundeye
(English speaking Asians) a white or non-Asian person.[45]
******, Wegro
is a slang term for a white person who allophilically emulates mannerisms, slangs and fashions stereotypically associated with urban African Americans; especially in relation to hip hop culture.
Zog Lover
used by white nationalists to describe an Aryan who is subservient to the Jews ("Zog"=Zionist Occupation Government).[46]
Individual ethnicities
Americans
Merkin
The phrase "a merkin" sounds similar to "american", and is in common use by the British, especially expats and in online communities. (The precise meaning of the word is "pubic wig").
Yank
From the term "Yankee" used for people from New England,[47] often interrelated as slang, used within the UK (and sometimes Canada and Australia).
Septic
Cockney rhyming slang (from "Septic Tank", a part of sewage processing systems) rhyming with Yank.
British
See Alternative names for the British
Germans
See List of terms used for Germans
Irish
Mick
Derogatory term for an Irishman in the U.S. and U.K. It is derived from Mickey and Mikey, nicknames for Michael, a common Irish name for males after St. Michael.
Paddy
Derogatory term for an Irish man, derived from a nickname for Patrick, a common Irish name for males after St. Patrick.
Pogue
Epithet derived from the Irish phrase, "Pog mo Thoin", meaning kiss my ass. It is generally not considered offensive.
Taig
Extremely offensive term often used to describe Catholics in Northern Ireland. It often has implications of Republican sympathy.
Italians
Dago
(U.S.) A person of Italian descent.
Ginzo
(U.S.) an Italian-American.[48]
Goombah
An Italian male, especially an Italian thug or mafioso.
Greaseball
(U.S.) A person of Italian descent.[49]
Guido
(US) An Italian-American male. Usually offensive. Derives from the Italian given name, Guido. Used mostly in the Northeastern United States as a stereotype for working-class urban Italian-Americans.[50]
Guinea
(U.S.) someone of Italian descent. (Derives from "Guinea Negro," was called because of some Italians who had dark complexions)[51]
Wog
(Aus) Australian slur for people of Mediterranean and Southern European descent, such as Italians, Greeks, and Spaniards. It also extends to Middle Eastern Mediterranean people, such as the Lebanese, Turks, and Arabs.
Wop
(U.S.) A racial term for anyone of Italian descent, derived from the Italian dialectism, "guappo," close to "dude, swaggerer" and other informal appellations, a greeting among male Neapolitans.[52][53] With Out Passport/Papers or Working On Pavement are popular alternative etymologies for the slur, supposedly derived from Italians that arrived to North America as immigrants without papers and worked in construction and blue collar work. These acronyms are dismissed as folk etymology or backronyms by etymologists.
Jews
Heeb, Hebe
(U.S.) offensive term for a Jewish person, derived from the word "Hebrew".[54][55]
Hymie
A Jew, from the Hebrew Chaim ("life"). Also used in the term, "Hymie-town," a reference to New York, and in particular, Brooklyn.[56]
****
Yiddish word for "circle"—Illiterate Jews who entered the United States at Ellis Island signed their names with a circle instead of a cross because they associated the cross with Christianity.
Sheeny
From Yiddish "shaine" or German "schön" meaning "beautiful."[citation needed]
Shylock
Comes from Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice".
Yid
Yiddish word for Jew.[57]
Russians
Russki, Russkie
Sometimes disparaging when used by foreigners for "Russian",[58] although in the Russian language, it is a neutral term which simply means an ethnic Russian as opposed to a citizen of the Russian Federation.
Comment