high yellow

noun

variants or less commonly high yaller

-ˈya-lər

dated, often offensive

: a Black person of light complexion

Word History

First Known Use

1910, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of high yellow was in 1910

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

High Wycombe

high yellow

HIH

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“High yellow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/high%20yellow. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

spontaneous

Listen to the pronunciation of spontaneous

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What’s the difference between ‘cemetery’ and ‘graveyard’?

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Popular in Wordplay

Skibidi, Mog & More: Gen Alpha Slang

13 Wonderful Words That You're Not Using (Yet)

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

Birds Say the Darndest Things

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Skibidi, Mog & More: Gen Alpha Slang

13 Wonderful Words That You're Not Using (Yet)