Afrocentric

adjective

Af·​ro·​cen·​tric ˌa-frō-ˈsen-trik 

1

: centered on or derived from Africa or the Africans

2

: emphasizing or promoting emphasis on African culture and the contributions of Africans to the development of Western civilization

Afrocentricity

ˌa-frō-ˌsen-ˈtri-sə-tē 

noun

Afrocentrism

ˌa-frō-ˈsen-ˌtri-zəm 

noun

Afrocentrist

ˌa-frō-ˈsen-trist 

noun or adjective

Examples of Afrocentric in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

On March 3 and 4, tens of thousands of revelers will parade in the streets across Trinidad, honoring the centuries-old Afrocentric celebrations that evolved into today’s Carnival festivities. —Kyle Denis, Billboard, 3 Mar. 2025

Badu has become known for her varying fashion staples of Afrocentric headwraps, scarves and other pieces of jewelry and hats that she's worn through her many performances. —Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 17 Feb. 2025

The bookstore’s popularity has allowed Lewis, who is a longtime practitioner in the field of Afrocentric mental health, to fulfill a dream. —Tony Perrottet, Travel + Leisure, 25 Jan. 2025

The vitality of Badu’s Afrocentric appeal, with its core features including bright hues, daring maxi dresses, and her most distinct and defining item—her headwrap pieces—posed beyond the emulation of Afrocentric style. —Ime Ekpo, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024

Forced to choose between the spirit and legacy of New England reform as embodied in the likes of Oliver Wendell Holmes and McGeorge Bundy on the one hand and the Afrocentric vision of Wright on the other, Obama stands with Massachusetts every time. —Walter Russell Mead, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2010

The $62 million building will serve middle and high school boys who learn from an Afrocentric curriculum. —Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 24 Apr. 2024

With a fusion of Afrocentric creativity and modern design, Zoezi inspires fitness enthusiasts to not only look good but also have fun, feel great, and stay motivated. —Aziah Pless, Essence, 31 Jan. 2024

Some of these standards, for example, have deemed Afrocentric hairstyles—such as locs and afros—ugly and unprofessional. —Syris Valentine, Scientific American, 14 Nov. 2023

Word History

Etymology

afro- + -centric

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Afrocentric

• egocentric
• ethnocentric
• eurocentric
• geocentric
• metacentric
• multicentric
• polycentric
• anthropocentric
• heliocentric
• centric
• concentric
• eccentric