black
(of an object) Absorbing all light and reflecting none; dark and hueless.
Seen in the wild
Doing my part to end the silence : Maybe some people blocked you because you're openly racist yet try and profit off the same race that you so openly hate. Just a thought. (BBC dildo by a South African creator that…
Thoughts for the day: Trump is filth. As Maddow said tonight, Trump has declared all out war on Black America. He and his clown show are the worst humanity has to offer. Trump supporters are not healthy for the res…
your bf went to the Met Gala in a black tuxedo
I think it's time to end the dual segregated system. Black students are well represented at the non HBCUs.
Grateful Dead - Black-Throated Wind (2-21-95) | https://onelink.to/j... #NowPlaying #JEMPRadio #CommunityRadio
Definitions
(of an object) Absorbing all light and reflecting none; dark and hueless.
The items around him were black in colour.
“Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity, which describes gravitation as the curvature of spacetime, predicts that any sufficiently compact mass will form a black hole.”
“>> Someone take my black card.”
“The Black Death was a plague pandemic that occurred in Europe from 1346 to 1353.”
“One of the most significant events in European history, the Black Death had far-reaching population, economic, and cultural effects.”
“>> Don't let nobody take my black card”
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“>> Keep your black card in your pocket”
“A black hole is an astronomical body so compact that its gravity prevents anything, including light, from escaping.”
Comments
(sometimes, capitalized) Belonging to or descended from any of various (African, Aboriginal, etc.) ethnic groups which typically have dark pigmentation of the skin. (See usage notes below.).
Somebody tell me, what can I do / Something is holding me back / Is it because I'm black?
"black" means belonging to or descended from any of various (african, aboriginal, etc. It is one of many casual words teens pick up from friends, social media, music or sport, and on its own it carries no particular warning. If you hear your teen use it, it is fair to ask what they mean by it in their friend group, since meanings drift quickly. Asking out of curiosity rather than alarm tends to keep the conversation open and useful.
"black" is informal English meaning belonging to or descended from any of various (african, aboriginal, etc. It is used widely across English varieties. A more formal or neutral equivalent would be something like "belonging to or descended from any of various (african" expressed in standard vocabulary. A common mistake is to assume "black" can replace its standard equivalent in every register; keep it for spoken or casual situations and use the formal form in writing. If you are a B2 or C1 learner, it is useful to recognise this word when you hear or read it, but think carefully about whether the situation really calls for it before using it yourself.
“I think it's time to end the dual segregated system. Black students are well represented at the non HBCUs.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“TN politician engaged to a high schooler doesn't want black and brown folks to be able to vote. Ok amerikkka”
— Bluesky· May 2026“>> Keep your black card in your pocket”
“>> Don't let nobody take my black card”
“>> Someone take my black card.”
Comments
(of a location or setting) Without light.
Speaking of round sunglasses, these lightweight polarized ones and come in two shades of tortoiseshell as well as black and bronze.
"black" means without light. It is one of many casual words teens pick up from friends, social media, music or sport, and on its own it carries no particular warning. If you hear your teen use it, it is fair to ask what they mean by it in their friend group, since meanings drift quickly. Asking out of curiosity rather than alarm tends to keep the conversation open and useful.
"black" is informal English meaning without light. It is used widely across English varieties. A more formal or neutral equivalent would be something like "without light" expressed in standard vocabulary. A common mistake is to assume "black" can replace its standard equivalent in every register; keep it for spoken or casual situations and use the formal form in writing. If you are a B2 or C1 learner, it is useful to recognise this word when you hear or read it, but think carefully about whether the situation really calls for it before using it yourself.
“Doing my part to end the silence : Maybe some people blocked you because you're openly racist yet try and profit off the same race that you so openly hate. Just a thought. (BBC dildo by a South African creator that openly hates black people and uses racial slurs)”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Thoughts for the day: Trump is filth. As Maddow said tonight, Trump has declared all out war on Black America. He and his clown show are the worst humanity has to offer. Trump supporters are not healthy for the rest of us to be around.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“your bf went to the Met Gala in a black tuxedo”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Grateful Dead - Black-Throated Wind (2-21-95) | https://onelink.to/j... #NowPlaying #JEMPRadio #CommunityRadio”
— Bluesky· May 2026“I can't tell if the white layer has a black panel near the collar. If it does, you could use black 2 for the main robe and black 1 for accents (or swap that if you think the red leaves unbalance it)”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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