Black
- noun
- /blæk/
- Slur
- But what was interesting about the black postcards was they always made blacks.
- whites and blacks
- non-Hispanic blacks
- blacks and Hispanics
That said we were trained to strike blacks when we picked the jury.
- That said we were trained to strike blacks when we picked the jury.
- But you had the sign saying no blacks, no dogs, no gypsies.
- And I had Indians, Pakistanis, Protestants, Catholics, blacks, white, Polish, Russian.
- Maybe the best we can do is just, you know, put blacks, ship blacks someplace else.
- Now, if you are receiving blacks in Haiti, no.
Examples
-
We, the Indians, with the whites and the blacks, are the same people.
Fiction book (1994) -
Is David Oyelowo the first black James Bond?
-
All the mischief seems to have been committed by local blacks, much of it against one another.
Fiction book (1995) -
Why make generalizations about blacks that one would not make about the other major races?
Academic text (1992) -
The importance of solidarity also emerges as blacks inspired by these defiant, powerful black men gradually join them.
Academic text (2017) -
Very few motels in Memphis would accept blacks, or Negroes, or colored people, even in 1968.
Fiction book (1996) -
Laws that defined separate spheres for blacks and whites left the Lumbee in limbo.
Academic text (1999) -
In the 1960s, many black activists fought tirelessly for civil rights.
-
During the parade, several black artists showcased their talents to celebrate their heritage.
-
The documentary highlighted the struggles faced by black communities throughout history.
Synonyms
A person with dark skin whose family comes from Africa
Idioms
A sign that dark clouds are coming and rain may fall, or a joke that things only seem bad
Compounds
- Specialized
An area of space with gravity so strong that not even light can escape it
A group of Black American activists in the 1960s who fought police abuse and fought for equal rights
- Specialized
A device on an airplane that records flight information and pilot voices
A very skilled person in martial arts like karate or judo who wears a dark band at the waist
A thing, like a failing project, that uses a lot of time or money and gives nothing back
A member of the Black Panther Party who fought for equal rights for African Americans in the 1960s
- Formal
A formal evening dress code for men that requires a black jacket and bow tie
- US
A venomous spider from the Americas whose female is black with a red hourglass on the underside of its body
A sea between southeastern Europe and western Asia that borders countries like Turkey and Ukraine
- Specialized
A system whose inner parts are hidden so you only see what goes in and what comes out
A fictional king and superhero from Marvel who uses advanced technology to protect his people
- Specialized
A lung disease from breathing coal dust for a long time that often affects miners
- US
A person who follows the Nation of Islam, a religious group among African Americans in the United States
A severe disease in the Middle Ages that spread across Europe and killed millions
- Literature
A play or film that makes serious subjects, especially taboo ones, seem funny
A range of mountains in South Dakota and Wyoming, home to Mount Rushmore and sacred to the Sioux
- NSFW
A Palestinian armed group that carried out attacks in other countries in the early 1970s
- Specialized
An object that absorbs all light and other kinds of radiation that hit it
- Specialized
A person with advanced Six Sigma training who leads projects to improve how a company works
- Specialized
A serious lung illness caused by breathing coal dust over many years, often in miners
- Jargon
A secret action that hides who did it, often for political or military reasons
Surface Forms
Etymology
Black comes from the old English word blæc, meaning 'dark' or 'burned', so it began simply as a colour word used to describe skin. A helpful way to remember the second sense is this: because using a colour alone to name people can feel like it ignores their full identity, calling people 'Blacks' is now often seen as old-fashioned or offensive and many prefer other, more respectful forms.