Kaffir

Kaffir is a highly offensive racial slur historically used in Southern Africa to refer to Black Africans. The term derives from the Arabic kafir, meaning "unbeliever" or "infidel," and entered Afrikaans and English through colonial contact. In the 19th and 20th centuries it was employed by white settlers and the apartheid state to dehumanize Black people, appearing in political rhetoric, media, and everyday speech.

Today, the word is widely condemned and its use is considered insulting and discriminatory in many contexts. In many jurisdictions, including South Africa, uttering the term can be treated as hate speech or as an act of discrimination, with penalties varying by law and circumstance. The term is commonly discussed in historical and sociopolitical analyses of colonialism and apartheid, where its impact as a tool of oppression is emphasized.

Terminology notes: the slur also appears in horticulture as the common name for the lime Citrus hystrix, often called kaffir lime. In recent years, many producers and scholars have shifted to the name makrut lime to avoid the racial connotations associated with kaffir. While some historical or regional references may still use the older term, its usage is discouraged in contemporary discourse and labeling.