blackface

noun

black·​face ˈblak-ˌfās 

often attributive

1

: dark makeup worn to mimic the appearance of a Black person and especially to mock or ridicule Black people

Note: The wearing of blackface by white performers was, from the early 19th through the mid-20th centuries, a prominent feature of minstrel shows (see minstrel sense 3a) and similar forms of entertainment featuring exaggerated and inaccurate caricatures of Black people. The use of blackface is considered deeply offensive.

2

plural blackfaces : a performer wearing blackface : minstrel sense 3a

Examples of blackface in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

While the use of blackface seems relegated to Russian productions, American ballet companies meantime are simply throwing their hands in the air, unsure of how to proceed. —The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 12 June 2024

Billy Dee Williams just shocked Bill Maher with a surprising take on blackface. —Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024

Namely, one of those influencers was Kim Kardashian, whose sometimes overly tan complexion has led to accusations of blackface online. —Kyndall Cunningham, Vox, 22 June 2024

When pressed as to whether there is any validity to concerns that his use of blackface could be viewed offensively — if perhaps the resounding outrage has any merit — Forster is defensive. —Alana Wise, NPR, 7 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing blackface

• digital blackface