An archaic term for a member of the San people of southern Africa, or a bushman; this term is now considered offensive.
From Dutch/Afrikaans 'bos' (bush) and 'man' (man), literally 'bush man,' reflecting Dutch colonial perspectives on indigenous African peoples.
This word reveals how colonial language reflected racist hierarchies—calling a people 'bushmen' implicitly suggested they were primitive or uncivilized, which is why modern usage avoids it in favor of 'San people.'
Historical term for indigenous San peoples of southern Africa; 'man' suffix reflects colonial-era male-default naming conventions that erased women from ethnographic discourse.
Use 'San people' or 'San' instead; if historical context required, 'Bosjesman' (capitalized) refers to the term itself, not the people.
["San","San people","San communities"]
San women's historical contributions to survival, medicine, and cultural knowledge were systematized out of colonial records; recovery work by contemporary San scholars, particularly women, is recentering these roles.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.