black eye

noun

1
: a discoloration of the skin around the eye from bruising
2
b
: a bad reputation

Examples of black eye in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Annual cicadas have dark green to black bodies with green-veined wings and black eyes and are larger. Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 Great white: The ocean’s largest predatory fish at up to 21 feet, great whites occasionally appear near North Carolina beaches in winter and spring, and is characterized by its white belly, black eyes and triangular teeth. Charlotte Observer, 2 July 2025 As the thinking goes, the company took a black eye with last year’s Wolfs. Chris Lee, Vulture, 27 June 2025 Detectives walked him out of the NYPD 84th Precinct stationhouse in Brooklyn Tuesday afternoon — during which he was seen sporting a large black eye. Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for black eye

Word History

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of black eye was in 1604

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Cite this Entry

“Black eye.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/black%20eye. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

black eye

noun
: a dark discoloration of the skin around the eye as the result of a bruise

Medical Definition

black eye

noun
: a discoloration of the skin around the eye from bruising

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