In the English language, the word nigger is an ethnic slur, usually directed at black people. The word originated as a neutral term referring to people with black skin, as a variation of the Spanish and Portuguese noun negro, a descendant of the Latin adjective niger (black).or instance, a show on Black Entertainment Television, a cable network aimed at a black audience, described the word nigger as a term of endearment.. In the African American community, the word nigga (not nigger) brings out feelings of pride (Davis 1).