# So is ''swarthy'' politically incorrect term nowadays?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-swarthy-politically-incorrect-term-nowadays/285078>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [January 16, 2005, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-swarthy-politically-incorrect-term-nowadays/285078 "2005-01-16T21:12:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-swarthy-politically-incorrect-term-nowadays/285078/41 "2005-01-20T01:11:15Z")

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> [@Daithi Lacha](#):
>
> Hmmm… Swarthy is a varient of _swart_, and according to Merriam-Webster:
> 
> Main Entry: \*\*swart \*\*  
> Pronunciation: 'swort  
> Function: adjective  
> Etymology: Middle English, from Old English _sweart_; akin to Old High German _swarz_ black, Latin _sordes_ dirt
> 
> So there’s definitely a historical precedence for it meaning “black,” rather than “Mediterranean” or “Arabic,” and not in a nice sense, either.
> 
> Also of note, then, is that the word “sordid” is related. Sorry - Word Geek, here!

In the past it may have ment black, but nowadays it just means olive complected.

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**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-swarthy-politically-incorrect-term-nowadays/285078/42 "2005-01-20T14:06:49Z")

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> [@Master Control](#):
>
> In the past it may have ment black, but nowadays it just means olive complected.

Indeed - I think the “black” component has well slipped from the standard usage.  
As an amusing aside, and to show just how the word is now perceived, I asked my wife if she knew what swarthy meant. She said “It’s an adjective for a pirate, isn’t it?” 🙂

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