Where Did The Word Coon Come From

Definitions

from The American Heritage® Lexicon of the English language Language, 5th Edition.

substantive Informal A raccoon.
substantive Offensive Slang Used as a disparaging term for a black person.

from The Century Dictionary.

noun The racoon, Procyon lotor: a popular abbreviation.
noun [capitalized] In United States history, a nickname for a fellow member of the Whig party in the earlier part of its history.
noun A sly, knowing person: oft strengthened past prefixing old. [Colloq., U. S.]
To creep, as a coon forth a branch of a tree; creep, clinging close.
noun A negro.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

noun (Zoöl.) A raccoon. Run across raccoon.

from Wiktionary, Artistic Commons Attribution/Share-Akin License.

substantive informal A raccoon.
noun ethnic slur A black person.
noun informal, South Africa A person who is a member of a colourfully dressed dancing troupe in Cape Town during New Yr celebrations.
noun A coonass.
verb southern U.s.a., colloquial To hunt racoons.
verb southern US, colloquial To clamber while straddling, especially in crossing a creek.
verb Georgia, colloquial To fish by noodling, by feeling for large fish in underwater holes.
verb African American Vernacular For an African American, to play the dated stereotype of a black fool for an audition, particularly including Caucasians.
verb southern The states, colloquial, dated To steal.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 past Princeton University. All rights reserved.

substantive (ethnic slur) extremely offensive name for a Black person
noun an eccentric or undignified rustic
noun North American raccoon

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Lexicon of the English Language, quaternary Edition

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Examples

Eric Lott and other scholars have argued that expressions of antiblack racism by Irish Americans—such as the lynchings of blacks during the New York Metropolis draft riots of 1863, or their invention of the word coon, or the deliberate attempts past some to belittle blacks in minstrel performances—were efforts to hide "their resemblance, in both course and ethnic terms, to 'blackness.'"

A Renegade History of the Usa
"That's what I called the coon's contrivance of 'barking a tree,'" said Cyrus.

Camp and Trail A Story of the Maine Woods
I have a problem with a racoon in my barn, so I set up a alive trap but the coon is to big for the trap and then when it is set off the door just sits on his but then he can back out of it.

I have a problem with a racoon in my barn, so I ready a live trap but the coon is to big for the trap so when information technology is set off th
I guy mentioned them being equally big as a main coon housecat, I dont know what this is simply the biggest bobcat I always caught weighed 42 pounds.

Howdy Kitty: Bobcat Takes Down Deer
Starting out with a rolling cage with a live coon is best.

whats the best fashion to train your coon canis familiaris
I guy mentioned them beingness as big every bit a primary coon housecat, I dont know what this is only the biggest bobcat I e'er caught weighed 42 pounds.

Hello Kitty: Bobcat Takes Downwards Deer
I take a trouble with a racoon in my befouled, and so I fix a live trap just the coon is to big for the trap then when it is set off th | Field & Stream

I have a trouble with a racoon in my barn, so I fix a alive trap just the coon is to big for the trap and so when it is set up off th
Starting out with a rolling cage with a live coon is all-time.

whats the best way to train your coon dog
One of them shouted out, 'What do yous phone call a coon in a suit?

faceless
M. Rock & T. Parker used the give-and-take coon to provoke, plain.

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