Definition
metisse
noun
- a person of mixed racial or ethnic ancestry, especially of European and non-European descent
Usage: French origin; historical/anthropological term; may be considered outdated or offensive in modern usage
Examples
- The term metisse was historically used in colonial contexts to describe individuals of mixed heritage.
- In historical texts, metisse referred to people of European and Indigenous ancestry in colonial America.
- Modern usage of metisse is generally avoided in favor of more neutral descriptors of mixed ancestry.