black-and-white

1 of 3

adjective

1
: partly black and partly white in color
2
: being in writing or print
3
: executed in dark pigment on a light background or in light pigment on a dark ground
a black-and-white drawing
4
: monochrome sense 2
black-and-white film
black-and-white television
5
a
: sharply divided into good and evil
b
: evaluating or viewing things as either all good or all bad
black-and-white morality
c
: sharply defined : clear-cut
the truth is not always black-and-white

black-and-white

2 of 3

noun (1)

black and white

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
2
: a drawing or print done in black and white or in monochrome
3
: monochrome reproduction of visual images (as by photography or television)

Examples of black-and-white in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Brown announced the couple's engagement on Instagram on April 11 with a black-and-white photo of her and model embracing. Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 24 May 2024 The black-and-white photo of the baby’s little feet received tons of heartwarming comments, including from people who were loving the name. Anna Halkidis, Parents, 24 May 2024 On May 24, the first-time mom shared a black-and-white image of her baby girl’s feet resting in the hands of her and her husband. Sara Vallone, Miami Herald, 24 May 2024 Ripley, shot in striking black-and-white, follows the plot of the original novel, in which Tom is hired to track down a rich man’s playboy son, Dickie (Johnny Flynn), in Italy, though his task soon morphs into a dangerous obsession. Kevin Jacobsen and Sarah Perchikoff, EW.com, 21 May 2024 The ethereal black-and-white image sees Middleton displaying her side profile in a white, off-the-shoulder Alexander McQueen gown. TIME, 18 May 2024 Shot on black-and-white 16mm by Galinsky, the film captures the get-in-the-van exploits of a band on tour and also the peculiar mix of creativity, boredom, perseverance and idealism that comes along with the on-the-road indie ethos. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2024 The show’s end brought a montage of black-and-white photos of Dead band members and associated personalities, living or dead. Chris Willman, Variety, 17 May 2024 While ideally that doesn’t mean more orca attacks as well, sailors in those waters would do well to keep their eyes peeled for the black-and-white beasts. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 16 May 2024
Noun
Tanaka, 39, chose a sweet black-and-white shot of the couple smiling together to share alongside his birthday message. Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 28 Mar. 2023 While most Americans had a TV by the early 1960s, most of those were black-and-white sets. Matt Novak, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2023 The birds flitted from corner to corner in their cages, quick little sprites with black-and-white breasts and flame-orange beaks. Burkhard Bilger, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2023 Natural light pours in from body-length windows, accentuating the black-and-white industrial aesthetic of the salon, which is complimented by colorful street art. Julian E.j. Sorapuru, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Mar. 2023 The Instagram carousel includes several black-and-white photos of Grande wearing white gloves, a polka-dot dress and her iconic ponytail, and Erivo sporting a plaid dress, tall dark boots and hoop earrings. Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Mar. 2023 In the first three black-and-white pictures, Grande and Erivo are wearing very cute outfits, with Grande in a strapless polkadot gown with opera gloves. Aimée Lutkin, ELLE, 26 Mar. 2023 Tybee Island, Georgia Grassy sand dunes and a historic black-and-white striped lighthouse bring a quaint coastal feel to Tybee Island, about 18 miles from Savannah. Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 25 Mar. 2023 The nine members’ work is mostly in color but contains some black-and-white pictures. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'black-and-white.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

from a common color scheme for such cars

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

1958, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1569, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of black-and-white was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near black-and-white

black-and-tan coonhound

black-and-white

black and white

Cite this Entry

“Black-and-white.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/black-and-white. Accessed 28 May. 2024.

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