fustee

Meaning

Noun

• A person who is of 1/16 black ancestry, the child of a mustee and a white.
• A caravel or other (Spanish) ship.

Origin

• Unclear. The 1911 Century Dictionary suggests it is a variation of mustee (the ending in any case matches mustee/mestee and costee, as well as dustee, which Century suggests might in turn by a variation of fustee). Perhaps compare fusty, or fustic, a yellow dye?
• From a Spanish word related to fusta or fuste.