Etymology
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Africa (n.)

Latin Africa (terra) "African land, Libya, the Carthaginian territory, the province of Africa; Africa as a continent," fem. of adjective Africus, from Afer "an African," a word of uncertain origin. The Latin word originally was used only in reference to the region around modern Tunisia; it gradually was extended to the whole continent. Derivation from a Phoenician cognate of Arabic afar "dust, earth" is tempting. The Middle English word was Affrike.

Entries linking to africa

Afric (adj.)

"African," 1580s, from Latin Africus (see Africa). Also sometimes used as a noun.

African (n.)

Old English Africanas (plural) "native or inhabitant of Africa," from Latin Africanus (adj.) "of Africa, African," from Africa (see Africa). Used of white residents of Africa from 1815. Used of black residents of the U.S. from 18c., when it especially meant "one brought from Africa" and sometimes was contrasted to native-born Negro. As an adjective by 1560s, "pertaining to Africa or Africans" (Old English had Africanisc); from 1722 as "of or pertaining to black Americans."

Afro- 

word-forming element meaning "African," from Latin Afr-, stem of Afer, Afri "African" (noun and adjective; see Africa), or directly from African.

updated on November 19, 2016

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Dictionary entries near Africa

afoul

afraid

A-frame

afresh

Afric

Africa

African

African-American

Africanism

Afrikaans

Afrikander

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