black and tan

American  

noun

1. a black dog with tan markings above the eyes and on the muzzle, chest, legs, feet, and breech.

2. a drink made of equal parts of ale and stout or porter.

3. U.S. History. a member of a former faction of the Republican Party in the South supporting the inclusion of African Americans in political life in the last decades of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century.

4. (initial capital letters)

   1. Usually Black and Tans. an armed force of about 6000 soldiers sent by the British government to Ireland in June, 1920, to suppress revolutionary activity: so called from the colors of their uniform.

   2. a member of this force.

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adjective

1. Older Use: Offensive. denoting or relating to a biracial person, usually having one biological parent who is Black and one who is white.

2. Informal. (in historical use) composed of or frequented by both Black and white people, as a place allowing racial intermingling and promoting integration: a black-and-tan saloon.

   a so-called “black and tan” musical revue of the 1920s;

   a black-and-tan saloon.

black and tan British  

noun

1. a mixture of stout or porter and ale

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Etymology

Origin of black and tan

First recorded in 1840–50 black and tan ( for def. 1 )

Example Sentences

They glittered in gold platform heels, black and tan powersuits, and fur-lined wool dresses for the winter chill lingering in Washington.

From Salon • Mar. 19, 2026

Other top claims included $46,900 for a vomiting black and tan coonhound, and $43,389 to treat a French bulldog with a corneal ulcer.

From New York Times • Jun. 7, 2024

"Lou is a black and tan coonhound, and all of them should have ears that extend at least to the tip of their nose," Paige, a veterinary technician, explained.

From Fox News • Sep. 27, 2021

It comes in black and tan, but we prefer it in a red that’s hard to forget on the bus.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 1, 2018

The third night, the blue ticks were tied by two black and tan hounds from the bayou country of Louisiana.

From "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls