Biafran

See also: biafran

English

Etymology

From Biafra +‎ -an. The "skinny" sense is in reference to the images of extremely skinny Biafran refugees from the Nigerian Civil War that appeared plentifully in English-language media in the 1960s and 1970s.

Adjective

Biafran (comparative more Biafran, superlative most Biafran)

Of, from or relating to Biafra.
(derogatory) Extremely skinny.
- 2006, Stephen P. Kiernan, Last Rights: Rescuing the End of Life from the Medical System:
  "He looked Biafran, he looked HIV-positive," Suzanne said, "Contrary to what the doctors were worried about, I believe those kids were keeping him alive."
- 2007, Wendy Rawlings, The Agnostics, page 111:
  She was truly skinny now and in this defenseless. She had surpassed fashionable and veered into unhealth. She looked Biafran; her eyes seemed to bulge out of her head.
- 2010, Animal Kingdom, 1:42:08 from the start:
  You want food? You look Biafran.

Translations

of, from or relating to Biafra

Norwegian:
Nynorsk: biafransk
Portuguese: biafrense

Noun

Biafran (plural Biafrans)

A native or inhabitant of Biafra.

Translations

a person from Biafra

French: Biafrais (fr) m
Norwegian:
Nynorsk: biafranar m
Portuguese: biafrense m or f