This is a controversial term. Its meaning has changed over time. While the term has been used to describe different groups of people it is commonly understood to describe Muslim people of Arab and Amazigh descent from North Africa and Southern Europe. At the same time, the term is said to be derived from a Greek term meaning “black, blackened or charred” and has been used in Europe since antiquity to describe Black people from Africa. In the Netherlands, as elsewhere, the term is used as a derogatory term for Muslims from North Africa or for a Black person.