adj

black

blak

adj

Having the darkest possible color; reflecting no light.

"She wore a black dress to the funeral."

"The sky turned black as the storm rolled in."

Belonging to or descended from certain ethnic groups, especially of African origin, with dark skin.

"The museum hosted an exhibit on Black history."

Without milk or cream, said of coffee or tea.

"He always drinks his coffee black."

Secret or unofficial, especially relating to government or military operations.

"The agency ran a black operation nobody was meant to know about."

Grim, hopeless, or menacing.

"He was in a black mood after the meeting."

noun

The color of black; total absence of reflected light.

"The room was painted entirely in black."

A person who is Black, i.e. of African or similarly dark-skinned descent.

"The event celebrated the achievements of Blacks in science."

verb

To make something black, or to refuse to handle goods or work as a form of industrial protest.

"The dockers blacked the shipment in support of the strike."

How to Use Black

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe darkest color, or (capitalized) referring to Black people and their identity and culture.

UK vs US

Capitalization of "Black" when referring to people/ethnicity is now standard style in most major style guides.

Common pairings

pitch black black coffee black market black humor

Word Forms

blacker comparative, more black comparative, blacked past tense, blacks plural, Blacks plural, blacks singular, blackest superlative, most black superlative

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She wore a _____ dress to the funeral.

Etymology

From Old English blæc ("black, dark; also ink"), ultimately from a root meaning "burnt" — related to words for burning and scorching in several old languages.

Synonyms

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atramental atramentous black as a dog's guts black as coal black as Newgate's knocker black as night black as the ace of spades black as thunder coal black ebon inky jetty

Antonyms

white

Related Words

white light cocaine jetty inky

Rhymes for black

ACK jack hack back tack wack pack sack rack lack Mack Zack

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atramental atramentous black as a dog's guts black as coal black as Newgate's knocker black as night black as the ace of spades black as thunder coal black ebon inky jetty