Etymology: Middle English blak, from Old English blæc; akin to Old High German blah black, and probably to Latin flagrare to burn, Greek phlegein
Date: before 12th century
1 a: of the color black b (1): very dark in color <his face was black with rage>(2): having a very deep or low register <a bass with a black voice>(3):heavy, serious<the play was a black intrigue> 2 a: having dark skin, hair, and eyes :swarthy<the black Irish>b (1)often capitalized: of or relating to any of various population groups having dark pigmentation of the skin <black Americans>(2): of or relating to the African-American people or their culture <black literature><a black college><black pride><black studies>(3): typical or representative of the most readily perceived characteristics of black culture <trying to sound black><tried to play blacker jazz> 3: dressed in black 4:dirty, soiled<hands black with grime> 5 a: characterized by the absence of light <a black night>b: reflecting or transmitting little or no light <black water>c: served without milk or cream <black coffee> 6 a: thoroughly sinister or evil :wicked<a black deed>b: indicative of condemnation or discredit <got a black mark for being late> 7: connected with or invoking the supernatural and especially the devil <black magic> 8 a: very sad, gloomy, or calamitous <black despair>b: marked by the occurrence of disaster <black Friday> 9: characterized by hostility or angry discontent :sullen<black resentment filled his heart> 10chiefly British: subject to boycott by trade-union members as employing or favoring nonunion workers or as operating under conditions considered unfair by the trade union 11 aof propaganda: conducted so as to appear to originate within an enemy country and designed to weaken enemy morale b: characterized by or connected with the use of black propaganda <black radio> 12: characterized by grim, distorted, or grotesque satire <black humor> 13: of or relating to covert intelligence operations <black government programs>
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