Harlem sunset
(US, noir, rare) A fatal wound caused by a knife fight.
ˈhɑɹləm ˈsʌnˌsɛtDocumented since 1940s1940sSilenthistorical216 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
Etymology timeline
Born ~1940 · no dated citations yet20th centurySee decade cohort →
Definitions
#1·Apr 27, 2026
(US, noir, rare) A fatal wound caused by a knife fight.
Origin: Used in Raymond Chandler's Farewell, My Lovely (1940), suggesting the red colour of a sunset. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Was this helpful?
Comments
Have a better definition?
Add your own interpretation of "Harlem sunset".
🗺️About Regional & Other slang
Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.
Tags
Other words near "Harlem sunset" (H)
harizzment failharizzment modeharkaraharkenHarlanHarleeharlequin bugHarleyHarlowHarmoniharmonicHarmonizer
Browse all slang words starting with H.