Spanish Conversation · Level 17
89 words
Spanish word
mulato
Pronunciation
IPA/muˈlato/
Meaning
- masculine nounmixed-race person
Example
Conocí a un mulato en el barrio.
I met a mixed-race person in the neighborhood.
More examples
Su abuelo era mulato y contaba historias familiares.
His grandfather was a mixed-race person and used to tell family stories.
Core concept
Person of mixed African and European ancestry.
Similar words
negro: Person with African heritage and characteristically dark skin and facial features.
moreno: Person whose complexion or hair is naturally dark brown or olive; an appearance-based term.
afrodescendiente: Person tracing ancestry to Africa, focusing on ancestral and cultural descent.
mestizo: Person with mixed Indigenous (Amerindian) and European ancestry.
Definition in Spanish
Término para referirse a una persona de mezcla étnica, típicamente con ascendencia africana y europea.
Word origin
Spanish and Portuguese mulato derives from Latin mulus 'mule', originally a term for animal hybrids that was later applied to people of mixed ancestry.
Usage tips
- Spanish spelling is mulato (one t), the noun is gendered (mulato/mulata), and the term can be dated or offensive, so use persona de ascendencia mixta or persona afrodescendiente.