lightskin

English

Alternative forms

• light-skin

Etymology

From light +‎ skin.

Noun

lightskin (plural lightskins)

1. A black person who has relatively light-coloured skin.

   Synonym: fair-skinned

   Antonym: darkskin

   • 1941, W. Lloyd Warner, Buford H. Junker, Walter A. Adams, “Lightskin Women”, in Color and Human Nature: Negro Personality Development in a Northern City, Washington, D.C.: American Council on Education, page 193:

     A man who is getting ahead tends to seek a lighter mate, and because “a good man is hard to find,” it would be difficult for a lightskin girl consistently to reject darker people. A darker man who offers security, through social position and other advantages, may well be preferred to a lightskin man of little enterprise.

   • 2024 (October 8) on WWE NXT, NXT champion Trick Williams replying to former North American Champion Wes Lee after being interrupted:

     Woah, hold on there lightskin. Now your accolades should speak for themselves, but I know your type, dog!

Usage notes

Sometimes used in a derogatory sense to describe a black person (of any skin colour) who acts in an effeminate manner.

Derived terms

• lightskinned

Related terms

• lightie