USI – Glossary Of Terms

The Glossary lists key historical and contemporary terms related to the transatlantic slave trade. These words are used across the website and particularly in the Themes and Use of language.

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There are currently 17 Terms in this directory beginning with the letter D.
Degrade
To lower character of
Depict
To represent by a picture or describe in words
Deplete
To reduce in amount by using up
Deport
To force a person (who is not a citizen) to leave the country
Derogatory
Intended to lower the reputation of a person or thing; expressing a low opinion
Diaspora
the spreading out of any group of people, forcibly or voluntarily, away from their homeland across a large area or indeed the world (it was originally used to describe the Jewish dispersal); also refers to the expatriate population as a distinct group
Diminish
To lessen
Discriminate
to treat unfairly favourably or unfavourably, especially on the basis of race or gender
Distinctive
Clearly marking a person or thing as different from others
Diversity
Condition of being different
Domestic slave
an enslaved person who works in a household rather than in the fields
Dominant
Commanding, controlling or having great influence over all others
Downtrodden
Crushed by a superior power
Draught (a beer)
draft
Duress
The use of force or threats
Dynamics
The patterns of change or growth
Dysentery
bacterial infection of the intestine resulting in severe diarrhoea