English

Etymology

From Middle English blak , from Old English blæc. Cognates include blaze, bleach, blond, bald, bale, Latin flagare , to shine, Latin blancus , white, Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌻𐌰 (bala), paleness, German erbleichen , to shine, Russian веля , white.

Pronunciation

• AHD : /blăk/
• IPA : /blæk/
• SAMPA : /bl{k/

Noun

black (plural blacks)

1. The colour/color perceived in the absence of light.
2. A black dye, pigment.
3. A pen, pencil, crayon, etc., made of black pigment.
4. (sometimes capitalized) A person of African descent.

Synonyms

• (person):
  • (standard): African American (in the US), Afro-American (in the US), person of color (US) or person of colour (UK)
  • (usually derogatory): Negro
  • (derogatory): coon , darkie or darky , nigger

Antonyms

• (colour, dye, pen): white

Translations

colour/color

dye, pigment

pen, pencil, etc

person

Translations to be checked

The translations below need to be checked by native speakers and inserted into the appropriate table(s) above. The numbering is unreliable.

• Bosnian: crna f (1, 2), crnac m (4), crnkinja f (4)
• Catalan: negre n, negra f (1,2,3,4)
• Dutch: zwart (1), zwarte (4)
• German: Schwarz n (1,2), Schwarzer m (3)
• Spanish: negro m (1, 3), negra f (3)
• Swedish: svart (1,3)
• Turkish: siyah (1,2,3,4), kara (1,2,3), zenci (4)

Adjective

black (comparative blacker, superlative blackest)

1. Of an object, absorbing all light and reflecting none; dark and colourless.
2. Of a place, etc, without light.
3. (sometimes capitalized) Relating to persons of African descent or (especially in the US) their culture.

Translations

absorbing all light

without light

relating to persons of African descent

Translations to be checked

The translations below need to be checked by native speakers and inserted into the appropriate table(s) above. The numbering is unreliable.

• Dutch: zwarte (1,4), donker (2,3)

• Swedish: svart (1,2,3,4)
• Tagalog: itim
• Turkish: siyah (1,2,3,4), kara (1,2,3), zenci (4)

Antonyms

1. white

Related terms

• black and white
• black arts
• blackball
• black bear
• blackberry
• blackboard
• blackcurrant
• black magic
• black out
• Black Panther
• Black Power
• black pudding
• Black Rod
• black tie

See also

• Wiktionary list of colours

Further translations to be checked

The translations below might be for any sense of either the noun or the adjective. Would native speakers check these and move them accordingly.

• Basque: beltz
• Breton: du
• Bosnian: crn m, crna f, crno n, crni m plural, crne f plural, crna n plural
• Bulgarian: черен
• Czech: černý
• Cornish: du
• Corsican: neru
• Esperanto: nigra
• Frisian: swart
• Greek, Ancient: μέλας m (melas), μέλαινα f (melaena), μέλαν n (melan)
• Latin: niger
• Manchu: sahaliyan
• Marathi: kalla
• Persian: سياه (siāh)
• Portuguese: negro, preto
• Romanian: negru
• Russian: чёрный
• Slovak: čierny
• Turkish: kara
• Vietnamese: đen

Transitive verb

to black (blacking, blacked, blacked)

1. To make black.

Synonyms

• blacken, darken

Translations

• Finnish: mustata
• Sasxsek: nikif