black-and-white

1 of 3

adjective

ˌbla-kən-ˈ(h)wīt 

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)

: squad car

black and white

3 of 3

noun (2)

1

: writing, print

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

Shot by Chris Colls, the series of photographs showcase black-and-white imagery — long synonymous with Lagerfeld’s aesthetic. —Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2025

Linklater’s black-and-white 35mm movie is neither prequel, sequel, nor remake of Godard’s film. —Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 26 Aug. 2025

Noun

In fact, Ghost of Yōtei is bringing almost an entirely new tone to players with a narrative that blends vintage samurai cinema from the likes of Akira Kurosawa (whose work once again inspires a black-and-white mode in the game) and spaghetti westerns à la Sergio Leone. —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2025

The black-and-white photos by Vera Mercer remain, but a new central marble bar will serve breakfast in the morning and drinks later in the day. —Yukari Sakamoto, AFAR Media, 24 Sep. 2025

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

Rhymes for black-and-white

• acolyte
• aconite
• allanite
• alunite
• amberlite
• ammonite
• amorite
• amphitrite
• analyte
• anchorite
• andesite
• anhydrite