miscegenation

Meaning

1. (US, countable, uncountable) The mixing or blending of race in marriage or breeding, interracial marriage.
2. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) A mixing or blending, especially one which is considered to be inappropriate.

Synonyms

crossbreeding

interbreeding

intercourse

miscegeny

Translations

métissage

miscigenação

cruce

mestizaje

Rassenmischung

επιμιξία

μικτός γάμος

verbastering

rassenvermening

miscegenação

تمازج الأجناس

ırkların karışması

mestissatge

Gemisch

Pronounced as (IPA)

/mɪˌsɛd͡ʒ.əˈneɪ.ʃən/

Etymology

Blend of Latin miscēre (“mix”) + Latin genus (“race”) + -ation. Coined by American journalist David Goodman Croly in 1864 and first used in an anonymous pamphlet he coauthored, which claimed to be written by a person who believed in the inherent unity of all racial groups, that marriage between blacks and whites would create a better race, and that the American Civil War was a fight for the latter idea. Later, it was exposed that the pretext of the pamphlet was false and that it had actually been written by a group which hoped to inflame anger, particularly against then-US President Abraham Lincoln who was up for reelection.
Replaced previous amalgamation, from metallurgy.