Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun Used as a disparaging term for a person of Mexican birth or descent, especially one who has crossed the US-Mexico border illegally.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A Mexican who enters the United States illegally, by wading across the Rio Grande; -- disparaging and offensive.
- noun An offensive term for a person of Mexican descent, usually intended and considered as an ethnic slur.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun derogatory slang A
Mexican or Central American whoillegally enters theUnited States of America from its southern border. - noun derogatory slang A person of the Mestizo race, used interchangeably with the
Spanish termmojado .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun (ethnic slur) offensive term for a person of Mexican descent
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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If it is legitimate and that is indeed Gibson's voice screaming at ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva, this recording includes Gibson's use of the derogatory term wetback to describe an employee who cares for the couple's daughter.
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The common term wetback derived from swimming the Rio Grande.
"When Mexicans come north as illegal immigrants, we call them wetbacks." Ann Althouse 2007
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The only old person whom I've heard to use racial epithets in English "wetback" is a woman who grew up in New Jersey and New York City.
"Congress can impose this disparate treatment forever because of the history in the South?" Ann Althouse 2009
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In fact before the killing occurred, the victim was called a wetback which is a derogatory term still being used by American politicians today.
DeeDee Garcia Blase: Undocumented Teen Commits Suicide, Consequences of Failed DREAM Act Continue DeeDee Garcia Blase 2011
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In fact before the killing occurred, the victim was called a wetback which is a derogatory term still being used by American politicians today.
DeeDee Garcia Blase: Undocumented Teen Commits Suicide, Consequences of Failed DREAM Act Continue DeeDee Garcia Blase 2011
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Look over there, a wetback is trying to take your job!
Think Progress » VIDEO: Luntz Converts On Global Warming, Distances Himself From Bush 2006
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But when a classmate had the hijab ripped from her head by a screaming stranger, or yet another Latino friend shares a story of being called a wetback, I'm reminded that we've only come so far.
Youth Radio -- Youth Media International: Opinion: One Instructor's Reflection On 9/11 Youth Radio -- Youth Media International 2011
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But when a classmate had the hijab ripped from her head by a screaming stranger, or yet another Latino friend shares a story of being called a wetback, I'm reminded that we've only come so far.
Youth Radio -- Youth Media International: Opinion: One Instructor's Reflection On 9/11 Youth Radio -- Youth Media International 2011
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Even the terminology is dangerous: the old word wetback is now considered a racist insult by all good liberals; and the perfectly correct terms illegal alien and illegal immigrant can set off charges of xenophobia, elitism, fascism, and the ever-popular genocide against anyone careless enough to use them.
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Even the terminology is dangerous: the old word wetback is now considered a racist insult by all good liberals; and the perfectly correct terms illegal alien and illegal immigrant can set off charges of xenophobia, elitism, fascism, and the ever-popular genocide against anyone careless enough to use them.
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