SINCE 1828
dark continent
nounDefinition of dark continent
1
or Dark Continent
: the continent of Africa
It was by the merest caprice of fortune that they headed toward the west coast of Africa, instead of toward Zanzibar on the opposite side of the dark continent.— Edgar Rice Burroughs … little was actually known about the interior of the Dark Continent until the mid-1800s.— Angus Carroll
2
: something unknown or unexplored
From Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, the world received the shocking discovery that man had opened the dark continent of the atom.— Daniel J. Boorstein
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on dark continent
What made you want to look up dark continent? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Words for Summer: A Quiz
-
- Which of the following words means “of or relating to summer”?
Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Share dark continent
Resources for dark continent