Niggardly. Racist or Not?
Racism Score: 0.9
“Niggardly” sure sounds racist, but is it? In the event you hear this word used, we want you to understand the history of the word to avoid linguistic bewilderment.
With a quick Google search, the definition of Niggardly means “stingy” or “miserly.” Although it sounds exactly like the racial slur, the history of the word is unrelated to the actual n-word. Just ask Bernie Sanders.
The word niggardly was created in the Middle Ages around the 15th century (somewhere between 1401 and 1500) and it long predates the n-word which was created in the 16th century.
Provided the fact niggardly was not derived from the n-word, should it be ok to use? Theoretically, yes. However, we would discourage the use of the word because one stands more to lose than to gain using the word.
The safe bet is to visit thesaurus.com if you need to find a synonym to avoid any controversy. While the word is not racist, use it at your own risk. In the current climate, you can potentially lose your job for using the term so proceed with caution.
Be careful with Niggle as well.
