Definition of "kaffir"

He […] put me in imminent danger of my life, by telling the natives that I was a Caffer, and not a Mussulman.

1804, Archibald Duncan, The Mariner's Chronicle, section I

… the Hambonaas, a nation quite different from the Kaffers, having a yellowish complexion […].

1792, The Analytical Review, Or History of Literature, Domestic and Foreign, on an Enlarged Plan, volume 14

If you ask a Kaffir why he does so-and-so, he will answer—"How can I tell? It has always been done by our forefathers."

1959, Alf Ross, On Law and Justice

I once heard him say to the gardener, 'Come along, son.' His wife scolded him saying, 'He's not son, don't call him son, he's a kaffir.'

1971, Naboth Mokgatle, The Autobiography of an Unknown South African

"… and today here a white man is calling me a kaffir. This term that I absolutely resented." And that, says Nofomela, is his political motive.

1998, Antjie Krog, Country of My Skull

Monkey see, monkey do ... which in this case refers to the baboons in Rhodesia - proves just how vulnerable the whities are in the hands of the kaffirs.

2000 April 9, Squirrel, “SA Silence on Mugabe's actions”, in soc.culture.south-africa‎ (Usenet)

This man, seeing a white person enter, moved aside for her, but she saw Joss's eyes on her, and said in kitchen kaffir, ‘No, when you've finished.’

1952, Doris Lessing, Martha Quest, Panther, published 1974, page 73

Kaffirs bouyant most of last week

1907, Truth, volume 62, page 688

This market reports only one or two cars per day, selling by the hundred weight, and at a price a little lower than that of Indian corn. As to the purpose for which the marketed kaffir is used, there is some uncertainty.

1907, Texas Agricultural, Mechanical College System, Bulletin, volumes 93-117, page 5