black-and-white
|black/and/white|
B2
/ˌblæk ən ˈwaɪt/
absence of color
Etymology
Etymology Information
'black-and-white' originates from the combination of the words 'black' and 'white', where 'black' meant 'dark' and 'white' meant 'light'.
Historical Evolution
'black-and-white' was used to describe early photography and film, which lacked color.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it referred to the absence of color, but it evolved to describe simplistic or clear-cut situations.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
consisting of shades of black, white, and gray; lacking color.
The old movie was filmed in black-and-white.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 2
simplistic or clear-cut; lacking nuance or complexity.
The issue isn't as black-and-white as it seems.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:45