black belt

1 of 2

noun (1)

: one who holds the rating of expert in various arts of self-defense (such as judo and karate)

also : the rating itself

black belt

2 of 2

noun (2)

ˈblak-ˌbelt 

1

: an area characterized by rich black soil

2

often Black Belt : an area densely populated by Black people

The story of civil rights in Tuskegee is also a study in ambiguity, for it is a history at once unusual and typical of the Southern black belt.

—Jim Haskins

Examples of black belt in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Spillner, who grew up in the Dane County suburb of Windsor, also earned a third-degree black belt in karate. —Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 7 Nov. 2025

The Southampton nurse began kickboxing at university and worked her way up to black belt before branching out into martial arts. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2025

Rogan does have sporting experience, and holds a black belt in Taekwondo, as well as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. —Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025

On a recent episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, the singer and talk show host wore a slim-fitting, long-sleeve black turtleneck with a pleated brown maxi skirt, black belt, and black strappy platform sandals. —Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1911, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for black belt

• heartfelt
• unfelt
• celt
• dealt
• dwelt
• felt
• knelt
• melt
• pelt
• smelt
• spelt
• veldt

Kids Definition

black belt

noun

: one holding the rating of expert especially in various arts of self-defense (as karate)

also : the rating itself

Geographical Definition

Black Belt

geographical name

strip of rolling prairie land extending across central Alabama and Mississippi with fertile black clayey soil formerly notable for the production of cotton