by SteveOla April 8, 2008
A derogatory term that in English usage refers to black children, or a caricature of them which is widely considered racist. The word is likely derived from the Portuguese pequenino (derived from pequeno, "little").
Pickaninny refers to oft-depicted physical stereotypes of young African slave or African American children: bulging eyes, unkempt hair, red lips and wide mouth into which they stuffed large slices of watermelon.
Today, use of the term by persons of any race in English speaking countries is seen as distasteful, though at one time it was used within African American families to refer to their children in an affectionate manner. Versions of the word are still used in some pidgin dialects, including Caribbean English, where it usually means "child" or "young'un"
Pickaninny refers to oft-depicted physical stereotypes of young African slave or African American children: bulging eyes, unkempt hair, red lips and wide mouth into which they stuffed large slices of watermelon.
Today, use of the term by persons of any race in English speaking countries is seen as distasteful, though at one time it was used within African American families to refer to their children in an affectionate manner. Versions of the word are still used in some pidgin dialects, including Caribbean English, where it usually means "child" or "young'un"
Pickaninny (also, piccaninny): Before becoming the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson apologized for any offense caused by an article in which he sarcastically suggested that "the Queen has come to love the Commonwealth, partly because it supplies her with regular cheering crowds of flag-waving piccaninnies."
by PCone November 15, 2009
A common, generally-accepted term used in former times to describe young black boys, who were so pictured and identified in some of the National Geographics magazines from the pre-Depression Era of the 1920's.
by jimmiedavurdmeister August 21, 2007
A song about a pickaninny:
Mammy's little ninny loves shortnin shortnin!
Mammy's little ninny loves shortnin breat!
Mammy's little ninny loves shortnin shortnin!
Mammy's little ninny loves shortnin breat!
Sweep off the flo!
And make up the bet!
Cause Mammy's little ninny loves shortnin breat!
Mammy's little ninny loves shortnin shortnin!
Mammy's little ninny loves shortnin breat!
Mammy's little ninny loves shortnin shortnin!
Mammy's little ninny loves shortnin breat!
Mammy's little ninny loves shortnin shortnin!
Mammy's little ninny loves shortnin breat!
Mammy's little ninny loves shortnin shortnin!
Mammy's little ninny loves shortnin breat!
Sweep off the flo!
And make up the bet!
Cause Mammy's little ninny loves shortnin breat!
Mammy's little ninny loves shortnin shortnin!
Mammy's little ninny loves shortnin breat!
Mammy's little ninny loves shortnin shortnin!
Mammy's little ninny loves shortnin breat!
by Arlene T. May 16, 2007
A derogatory name for young black children couched in an aspect of admiration. Topsy in Uncle Tom's Cabin was described as being a pickaninny.
by wordlover31 July 6, 2010
duragatory slur for a black person, especially a younger or lazier one. originates back to slave times when slaves worked in fields, and a slave who was supposed to be working wasn't "pickin any"
this pickaninny needs to get up off his ass already
i don't wanna see you pickaninny's in my neighborhood anymore
i don't wanna see you pickaninny's in my neighborhood anymore
by Sean Lock Romulux November 1, 2006