black hat

American  

[blak hat] / ˈblæk ˈhæt /

noun

Informal.

1. a villain, as in a cowboy movie; bad guy.

2. Also called black hat hacker.  Computers. a hacker who violates the security of a system without the knowledge or consent of the owner or developer, as for personal profit or for the gratification of causing damage.

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idioms

1. wear / put on a black hat, to behave villainously.

black hat British  

noun

1. informal

   1. a computer hacker who carries out illegal malicious hacking work

   2. ( as modifier ) Compare white hat

      black-hat hackers

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Other Word Forms

• black-hat adjective
• black-hatted adjective

Etymology

Origin of black hat

First recorded in 1955–60 black hat for def. 1, and in 1990–95 black hat for def. 2; from the black hat worn by the villain in a cowboy movie

Compare meaning

How does black-hat compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• white hat vs. black hat

Example Sentences

Trial prosecutors highlighted images of McCullagh, from his social media, that show him wearing a black hat and wig that bear a resemblance to the man who appears in footage walking back through Lurgan town centre.

From BBC

It was a Jew in his early thirties in the typical broad-brimmed black hat and long black coat.

From Literature

In front of me stood Karel, tall black hat in his hands, his eyes searching my face as though he were not quite sure.

From Literature

Just that same black hat he wore.

From Literature

He had settled on a black hat adorned with what looked like crab apples for my aunt to wear.

From Literature