bushman
noun
bush·man
ˈbu̇sh-mən 
plural bushmen
1
Bushman sometimes offensive; see usage paragraph below
a
: a member of any of the indigenous and traditionally hunter-gatherer peoples of southern Africa who are considered the oldest inhabitants of the region : san sense 1
Several dozen Bushmen who had been expelled from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve have returned there under a landmark court ruling giving the traditional hunter-gatherers rights to land they and their ancestors occupied for thousands of years.—
Craig Timberg
Craig TimbergIn Southern Africa, there are perhaps 100,000 indigenous people commonly referred to as Bushmen or San—terms typically used by outsiders and, though sometimes considered demeaning, often by the people themselves.—Barry Bearak
Barry Bearak
b
2
a
: woodsman
b
chiefly Australia
: a person who lives in the bush
Usage of Bushman
Bushman is sometimes avoided as potentially offensive to the people to whom it refers, with San often being used instead. However, usage evidence indicates that not all of these people find Bushman offensive and that they sometimes use it themselves. It continues in widespread use.
Dictionary Entries Near bushman
Cite this Entry
“Bushman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bushman. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
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