Hyphenated American \Hyphenated American\ An American who is referred to by a hyphenated term with the first word indicating an origin in a foreign country, and the second term being "American", as Irish-American, Italian-American, African-American, Asian-American. Used in reference to Americans of foreign birth or ancestry. When used of Americans of European ancestry, it is often used to refer to those who have a strong attachment to the ancestral country or its culture. It implies that the individual is imperfectly assimilated into American culture, and is sometimes used derogatively. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

Negro \Ne"gro\ (n[=e]"gr[-o]), n.; pl. Negroes (n[=e]"gr[=o]z). [Sp. or Pg. negro, fr. negro black, L. niger; perh. akin to E. night.]

A black man; especially, one of a race of black or very dark persons who inhabit the greater part of tropical Africa, and are distinguished by crisped or curly hair, flat noses, and thick protruding lips; also, any black person of unmixed African blood, wherever found. [1913 Webster]

2. A person of dark skin color descended at least in part from African negroes; in the United States, an African-American. [U.S. usage, sometimes considered offensive.]

[PJC]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

African \Af"ri*can\, a. [L. Africus, Africanus, fr. Afer African.]

Of or pertaining to Africa. [1913 Webster]

African hemp, a fiber prepared from the leaves of the Sanseviera Guineensis, a plant found in Africa and India.

African marigold, a tropical American plant (Tagetes erecta).

African oak or African teak, a timber furnished by Oldfieldia Africana, used in ship building. [1913 Webster]

African violet .

African-American, see African-American. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

African-American \African-American\ adj.

1. of or pertaining to or characteristic of Americans of African ancestry or their history or culture

Syn: Afro-American [WordNet 1.5]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

African-American \African-American\ n.

1. 1 an American whose ancestors were born in Africa, especially a United States citizen of African descent.

Syn: Afro-American, African, black, negro [WordNet 1.5]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

African-American adj : pertaining to or characteristic of Americans of African ancestry; "Afro-American culture"; "many black people preferred to be called African-American or Afro-American" [syn: Afro-American]

noun

an American whose ancestors were born in Africa [syn: Afro-American, Black American]

Source: WordNet (r) 2.0