San
/sæn/noun
A member of several Indigenous peoples of southern Africa, traditionally associated with hunting and gathering.
Did you know?The term San is an external label, and many communities traditionally identify themselves by their own specific names rather than by this broad umbrella term.
Etymological Timeline
17th Century
Dutch
Saan
“A term recorded by Dutch colonists for Indigenous hunter-gatherers of southern Africa; its exact original source is debated.”
18th Century
Afrikaans/Dutch
San
“A colonial term used broadly for various Indigenous hunter-gatherer peoples, often in contrast with pastoral communities.”
19th Century
English
San
“An English ethnographic term applied to several southern African peoples.”
20th Century
English
San
“An increasingly preferred umbrella term in scholarship, replacing older labels that many considered derogatory.”
Modern English
English
San
“A collective designation for diverse Indigenous peoples of southern Africa, including communities with distinct languages and identities.”