zambonoun
Factsheet
What does the noun zambo mean?
There are two meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun zambo. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
Entry status
OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.
How common is the noun zambo?
| 1810 | 0.026 |
| 1820 | 0.025 |
| 1830 | 0.025 |
| 1840 | 0.023 |
| 1850 | 0.027 |
| 1860 | 0.023 |
| 1870 | 0.022 |
| 1880 | 0.022 |
| 1890 | 0.021 |
| 1900 | 0.022 |
| 1910 | 0.028 |
| 1920 | 0.025 |
| 1930 | 0.029 |
| 1940 | 0.031 |
| 1950 | 0.031 |
| 1960 | 0.032 |
| 1970 | 0.031 |
| 1980 | 0.026 |
| 1990 | 0.027 |
| 2000 | 0.024 |
| 2010 | 0.022 |
How is the noun zambo pronounced?
British English
Where does the noun zambo come from?
Earliest known use
1810s
The earliest known use of the noun zambo is in the 1810s.
OED's earliest evidence for zambo is from 1819, in a translation by Helen Maria Williams, writer.
zambo is a borrowing from Spanish.
Nearby entries
- zalcitabine, n.1991–
- zamacueca, n.1855–
- Zamak, n.1926–
- zamang, n.1819–
- zamarra, n.1841–
- zama zama, n.2006–
- Zamazim, n.a1400–
- Zambian, adj. & n.1959–
- Zambianization, n.1964–
- Zambianize, v.1964–
- zambo, n.1819–
- Zamboni, n.1965–
- zambra, n.1672–
- zambuk, n.1906–
- zamburak, n.1825–
- zami, n.1977–
- Zamia, n.1819–
- zamindar, n.1683–
- zamindari, n. & adj.1742–
- zamindarship, n.1698–1902
- zamioid, adj.1860–
Etymology
Summary
Meaning & use
- 1.1819–
- 1819
He was..of a dark brown complexion like a Zambo.
H. M. Williams, translation of A. von Humboldt, Personal Narrative of Travels vol. IV. 430 - 1851
In the sparse settlements of the country [sc. Mexico] you meet with a strange race—the cross of the negro with the ancient inhabitants of the country—the ‘zamboes’.
M. Reid, Rifle Rangers (1853) xi. 72 - 1896
The zambos, the offspring of the imported negro and the native Indian stock.
W. E. Curtis, Venezuela xii. 159
the world people ethnicity, race, or heritage person with parents or ancestors of different ethnic backgrounds [nouns] specific- mulatto1591–A person with one white and one black parent. Frequently more generally: a person of mixed white and black ancestry. Cf. metis, n. A.1, quadroon, n. Now chiefly considered offensive.
- mestizo1598–Hence, more generally: any person of mixed racial origin. Cf. metis, n. A.1.
- mulat1678A person with one white and one black parent. Cf. mulatto, n. A.1.
- topass1680–A person of mixed black and Portuguese descent; often applied to a soldier, or a ship's scavenger or bath-attendant, who is of this class.
- cholo1688–In Latin America: a person, esp. a man, of mixed Indigenous and European heritage. Sometimes derogatory. Cf. mestizo, n., chola, n. 1.
- Sambo1698–Esp. in Spanish contexts: a person of mixed black and white or Indigenous American ancestry; spec. one descended directly from a black African…
- mustee1699–A person of mixed European and African descent; (sometimes) spec. a person with one white-skinned parent and the other one-quarter black. Also more…
- quadroon1707–Now chiefly considered offensive. A person who is by descent three-quarters white and one-quarter black; a person with one black grandparent. Formerly also: †a person with one…
- half-breed1732–Originally and chiefly North American. A person who is descended from parents or ancestors of differing ethnic (or occasionally national) origin…
- quintroon1758–A person who is by descent fifteen-sixteenths white and one-sixteenth black; one who is fifth in descent from an African. One of a number of terms formerly used to designate degrees of racial mixture, and now considered offensive; cf. quadroon, n., terceron, n., octoroon, n., etc.
- terceron1758–In systems of racial classification used in European colonies: a person who is by descent three-quarters white and one-quarter black; a person with…
- Paulist1772–= Paulista, n.
- bastard1785–South African. Also bastaard. A person of mixed ethnic origin or descent, usually Khoekhoe and European or Khoekhoe and black; spec. a Griqua. Cf. B…
- Bastard Hottentot1785–A member of a people of mixed Khoikhoi, white, and black African origin; cf. bastard, n. A.III.12a, B.III.9.
- blue skin1788–derogatory. A black person or a person of mixed black and white descent. Now rare.
- half-caste1789Now somewhat dated and usually considered offensive. A person of mixed race or descent; esp. a person with one white and one dark-skinned parent; (sometimes spec. (chiefly in India during British…
- Baster1790–In South Africa and Namibia (formerly South West Africa): a person of mixed descent; (now usually) spec. = Rehoboth Baster, n. Cf. bastard, n.…
- lip-lap1798–slang (derogatory). Now historical and rare. Originally and chiefly in the Dutch East Indies: a person having one Indonesian and one European parent; (also more generally) a white or mixed-race…
- East Indian1801–A person of mixed European and Asian (esp. Indian) descent; = Eurasian, n. A.1 Now historical.
- griffe1804–U.S. regional (southern, chiefly Louisiana). Now historical and offensive. A person who is by descent three-quarters African American and one-quarter white. Also: a person of mixed African American and North American…
- bois brûlé1805–In North America: an Indigenous person of mixed descent, esp. one with French heritage.
- metif1805–A person having mixed white and North American Indigenous parentage. Also more generally: a person with parents of different ethnic origin. Cf. metis…
- mameluco1809–In Brazil: a person who has one Indigenous and one white parent.
- Griqua1815–A member of an Afrikaans-speaking people of mixed Khoekhoe and South African Dutch descent inhabiting chiefly the regions of Griqualand West in the…
- Caboclo1816–In Brazil: a westernized Indigenous person; (also) a person of mixed Indigenous and black or Indigenous and white parentage.
- koi-hai1816–An Anglo-Indian, esp. one belonging to the Bengal Presidency.
- metis1816–A person of mixed descent. Canadian. Usually with capital initial. A person having mixed white (esp. French Canadian or Scottish) and Indigenous…
- Indo-Portuguese1817–A person of mixed Indian and Portuguese descent or heritage. Now historical.
- musteefinoa1818–A person having one white-skinned parent and the other a mustee.
- Paulista1817–a. A Brazilian person of mixed Portuguese and Indigenous descent, esp. one who was among the explorers or settlers of the hinterlands of southern…
- Morisco1819–In extended use: a person who is by descent three-quarters white and one-quarter black; a person with three white grandparents and one black…
- zambo1819–= Sambo, n.¹ A.2.
- Anglo-Indian1826–A person of mixed British and Indian descent.
- Eurasian1826–A person of mixed European and Asian descent.
- half-bred1836–Originally and chiefly North American. A person who is descended from parents or ancestors of differing ethnic origin; esp. a person of mixed white…
- metis1839–A person of mixed descent. In Asia, South America, the United States, etc.: a person of mixed race, esp. of mixed European and Indigenous origin…
- octoon1840= octoroon, n.
- mestino1842–A spurious form of mestizo, n. in W. T. Brande Dict. Sci. Lit. & Arts (1842), and in later dictionaries. (Webster's Internat. Dict. Eng. Lang.…
- Indo-African1850–A person of mixed Indian and African heritage or descent.
- octoroon1854–offensive. A person who is by descent seven-eighths white and one-eighth black; a person with seven white great-grandparents and one black great-grandparent…
- quarter-caste1859–a. n. A person of mixed ancestry who is a quarter from one descent and three-quarters from another, spec. (Australian and New Zealand) a person who…
- Europasian1867–99A person of mixed European and Asian heritage; = Eurasian, n. Obsolete.
- yellowbelly1867–A person of South-East or East Asian (especially Chinese or Japanese) ethnic origin; spec. a person of mixed white and Asian descent. Cf. yellow, adj.…
- Black Indian1876–(In the late 19th cent.) a person of African descent living as a member of an Indigenous community in the United States; (now also) a person of mixed…
- ladino1877–In Central America, a mestizo or a white person. Also attributive or as adj.
- Eurafrican1884–A person of mixed European and African descent; spec. (in South Africa) a Coloured person (see coloured, adj. A.I.3d). Cf. Euro-African, n. A.2.
- Conchy Joe1888–Bahamian colloquial (sometimes derogatory and offensive). A Bahamian who is white or of mixed black and white descent. Cf. conch, n. 7.
- redbone1890–regional (chiefly southern). A person of mixed racial descent, spec. one believed to have a degree of North American Indigenous ancestry and…
- Rehoboth Bastard1894–= Rehoboth Baster, n. Cf. bastard, n. A.III.12a. Non-historical use is now likely to be offensive.
- Griqualander1897–A Griqua; (also) an inhabitant of Griqualand East or Griqualand West.
- Indo-European1908–Originally and chiefly in the context of the Dutch East Indies: a person of mixed European (typically Dutch) and Southeast Asian (typically Malay)…
- Indo1921–Originally and chiefly in the context of the Dutch East Indies: a person of mixed European (typically Dutch) and Southeast Asian (typically Malay)…
- Rehobother Bastard1921–With reference to the work of Eugen Fischer: = Rehoboth Baster, n.
- Rehoboth1923–Chiefly South African. = Rehoboth Baster, n.
- mustard seed1926–U.S. slang. offensive. A light-skinned person with one white and one black parent. Cf. high yellow, n. rare.
- Rehoboth Baster1927–A member of an Afrikaans-speaking people of mixed, chiefly Dutch and Khoi, descent, originally resident in the Cape Colony but from the 1870s… Non-historical use is now likely to be offensive.
- Anglo?1943–Chiefly Indian English. A person of mixed British and Indian descent; = Anglo-Indian, n. A.2.
- Rehobother1958–= Rehoboth Baster, n.
- samba1958–= Sambo, n.¹ A.2.
- 2.1851–A species of American monkey.
- 1851
The ferocious zambo fills the woods with its hideous half-human voice.
M. Reid, Rifle Rangers (1853) i. 11 - 1851
The ‘zambo’ monkey is one of the largest and fiercest of the family of quadrumana.
M. Reid, Rifle Rangers (1853) i. 350
the world animals mammals order Primates suborder Anthropoidea (higher primates) [nouns] unspecified type of- martinc1400–1697A kind of monkey (not identified). Also martin ape, martin monkey.
- mammonet1607–1751A kind of monkey (not identified).
- macaque1698A kind of monkey native to Brazil (not identified). Obsolete. rare.
- spotted monkey1771–A monkey with white specks or spots in the coat; (formerly) spec. the Diana monkey, Cercopithecus diana, of West Africa.
- zambo1851–A species of American monkey.
Pronunciation
British English
Consonants
- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- ɬrhingyll
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing
Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence
Vowels
- iːfleece
- ihappy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- atrap, bath
- ɑːstart, palm, bath
- ɒlot
- ɔːthought, force
- ʌstrut
- ʊfoot
- uːgoose
- əletter
- əːnurse
- ɪənear
- ɛːsquare
- ʊəcure
- eɪface
- ʌɪpride
- aʊmouth
- əʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ãgratin
- ɒ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)
Other symbols
- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.
View the pronunciation model here.
Frequency
zambo typically occurs about 0.03 times per million words in modern written English.
zambo is in frequency band 3, which contains words occurring between 0.01 and 0.1 times per million words in modern written English. More about OED's frequency bands
Frequency of zambo, n., 1810–2010
* Occurrences per million words in written English
Historical frequency series are derived from Google Books Ngrams (version 2), a data set based on the Google Books corpus of several million books printed in English between 1500 and 2010.
The overall frequency for a given word is calculated by summing frequencies for the main form of the word, any plural or inflected forms, and any major spelling variations.
For sets of homographs (distinct entries that share the same word-form, e.g. mole, n.¹, mole, n.², mole, n.³, etc.), we have estimated the frequency of each homograph entry as a fraction of the total Ngrams frequency for the word-form. This may result in inaccuracies.
Smoothing has been applied to series for lower-frequency words, using a moving-average algorithm. This reduces short-term fluctuations, which may be produced by variability in the content of the Google Books corpus.
| Decade | Frequency per million words |
|---|---|
| 1810 | 0.026 |
| 1820 | 0.025 |
| 1830 | 0.025 |
| 1840 | 0.023 |
| 1850 | 0.027 |
| 1860 | 0.023 |
| 1870 | 0.022 |
| 1880 | 0.022 |
| 1890 | 0.021 |
| 1900 | 0.022 |
| 1910 | 0.028 |
| 1920 | 0.025 |
| 1930 | 0.029 |
| 1940 | 0.031 |
| 1950 | 0.031 |
| 1960 | 0.032 |
| 1970 | 0.031 |
| 1980 | 0.026 |
| 1990 | 0.027 |
| 2000 | 0.024 |
| 2010 | 0.022 |