black and white

¹

noun

1. black ( def 31 ).

black-and-white

²

[ blak-uhn-hwahyt, -wahyt ]

adjective

1. displaying only black and white tones; without color, as a picture or chart:

   a black-and-white photograph.

2. partly black and partly white; made up of separate areas or design elements of black and white:

   black-and-white shoes.

3. of, relating to, or constituting a two-valued system, as of logic or morality; absolute:

   To those who think in black-and-white terms, a person must be either entirely good or entirely bad.

black-and-white

noun

1. 1. a photograph, picture, sketch, etc, in black, white, and shades of grey rather than in colour
   2. ( as modifier )

      black-and-white film

2. See colour
   the neutral tones of black, white, and intermediate shades of grey Compare colour
3. in black and white
   in black and white
   1. in print or writing
   2. in extremes

      he always saw things in black and white

Word History and Origins

Origin of black and white¹

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

Artists Under Hitler successfully manages to add some grey to the generally black-and-white conversation about Nazis and art.

From The Daily Beast

This whole thing about a black-and-white culture of knee-jerk reactions is reinforced by television.

From The Daily Beast

The second question was about viewing the world in strictly black-and-white (or red-and-blue) terms.

From The Daily Beast

They are grainy, low-resolution black-and-white pictures, more scruff than science.

From The Daily Beast

Having sufficiently wet ourselves, we viewers are left with a chilling, black-and-white image of blood circling the shower drain.

From The Daily Beast

So Regis Brugiere stole Jim, the black-and-white setter, and concealed him well.

From Project Gutenberg

There were two black-and-white arched stripes across the forehead, and a yellow curving line across each cheek under the eye.

From Project Gutenberg

Gibson was perfectly at home in black-and-white, but rarely (and feebly) used colours.

From Project Gutenberg

Then the phrase, like a black-and-white flower, rolled back its thundering petals, and the masterpiece was born.

From Project Gutenberg

Most birds of the waterside seem to find that black-and-white feathers make a good disguise.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• book
• copy
• edition
• engraving
• lettering
• lithograph
• magazine
• newspaper
• photograph
• stamp
• type
• writing