dago

noun

1. (derogatory, obsolete, often, slang)A crewman who speaks Spanish, Portuguese, or Italian.

   “I interviewed his aid to know what the Dago's rank was (Sailors call everybody that speaks Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese, Dagos)”

   “JAMES, the Spaniard’s patron saint, has been compelled to lend his name as “Iago” to innumerable towns, cities and villages. From Mexico to Patagonia in Spanish America, “Santiago,” “San Diego,” “Iago” and “Diego” are such frequently recurring vocables that the Yankee sailor calls natives of these countries “Dago men,” or “Diegos.” It is his slang name for foreigners of the Latin race. It is a relic of the old days when he knew them chiefly as pirates.”

   “He had that treacherous snarky look, characteristic of all these Mediterranean nations, known to Yankee sailors by the generic name of Dago. However, as long as he behaved, I used him well, but I didn't trust him.”

   ““As you please. Now what is wrong? Are we sinking? Has she sprung a leak? Does the dago crew mean to mutiny and murder us in our bunks?” The major actually smiled. “How readily you leap to a conclusion, my dear boy! but I am happy to say that, as far as I know, the little vessel is staunch, and the dark-skinned sons of Italy comprising the crew have not the slightest intention of doing us the least injury.””

2. (England, US, dated, ethnic, slur)A person of Southern European descent.

   “Detective J.J. McVea of the Charles street station, who arrested the boys, says that the robbery of the safe was a remarkable one and showed no trace of amateurism. It was committed by four boys. Besides Lyons and Murphy, he says, there were in it Albert Moquin, 14 years old, of 68 West Third street, and one whom Lyons calls “Oscar the Wop,” or “Oscar the Dago.””

   “Oh, well, I didn’t really do anything this time. Just pulled the Dago out of the river. Like all Dagos, he couldn’t swim.”

   “Sort of dago fellow; leads the orchestra down at the Winter Gardens ... You know the sort, all lah-di-dah and snakeskin shoes.”

   “And all foreigners to him were "dem bloody dagoes"—for, according to his theory, foreigners were responsible for unemployment.”

3. (Australia, US, dated, ethnic, slur)A person of Italian descent, more specifically.
4. (US, derogatory, rare)A Catholic.