Origin of munter

[David H]

I know minger is an old Scottish word originally meaning 'stinker', but what is the origin of the very new English word munter for someone ugly, often used interchangeably?

[Quizmonster]

The basic word contained in the opening four letters was originally a term of racial abuse, so the nastily critical aspect of the whole word may possibly have developed from that. There is also a suggestion that it may be an amalgamation of minger, monster and another abusive word which also ends in the letters u, n and t.

[Grunty]

As Quizmonster says, the fist four letters were used in Africa in the 1960s (and probably earlier and later) to describe a black person. To their eternal discredit, the colonial police would use the word 'man' to talk about a white man and the word 'munt' to talk about a black one.

[Big Al1st]

Hi

From my dictionary

Munt or Muntu:- South African Slang. A black African.Used derogatorily by whites. Africaans from Bantu meaning Black Person

I have copied direct from Dictionary. Nothing else intened before anyone says anything.

[David H]

Thanks everyone, it's odd that a word appeared in England all the way from SA, and appeared so suddenly at that. Maybe it just takes one person to import it and others to like the sound and it can spread like wildfire. Well done!