Jump to content

blackness

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Blackness

English

[edit]
English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Alternative forms

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

Inherited from Middle English blaknesse, equivalent to black +‎ -ness. Sense 5 most likely both originated from the masque The Masque of Blackness by Ben Jonson and later changed to its current positive sense.

Pronunciation

[edit]

Noun

[edit]

blackness (usually uncountable, plural blacknesses)

  1. The state or quality of being black in colour.
    The blackness of outer space comes from the lack of anything to reflect light rather than the absence of light.
    • 1958 February, Arthur F. Beckenham, “A Journey in the Belgian Congo”, in Railway Magazine, page 93:
      The lights of Luluabourg disappeared, and we were in the blackness of the African night, which was continuously pierced by the showers of red sparks ejected skywards and red hot ashes deposited on the track as the fireman rocked his fire.
  2. Any space that such colour pervades.
    Out of the blackness came some flickers of light.
  3. (figurative) Darkness, gloominess; depression.
  4. (figurative) The quality of being evil or dismal.
  5. The state of being of African descent.
    • 2018 February 12, David Betancourt, “‘Black Panther’ fully embraces its blackness—and that's what makes it unforgettable”, in The Washington Post‎[1], archived from the original on 12 February 2018:
      “Black Panther” is a stunning visual and cultural achievement that takes superhero cinema where it’s never gone before by not being afraid to embrace its blackness.
  6. The experiences and culture of African-American people.

Antonyms

[edit]

Hypernyms

[edit]

Coordinate terms

[edit]

Derived terms

[edit]

Translations

[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=blackness&oldid=89284945"