black belt

American  

[blak belt] / ˈblæk ˌbɛlt /

noun

black belts plural

1. Martial Arts.

   1. a black cloth waistband conferred upon a participant in one of the martial arts, as judo or karate, to indicate a degree of expertise of the highest rank.

   2. a person who has obtained such rank

   3. the rank itself.

2. a person proficient in some particular skill or endeavor; expert.

3. (initial capital letters) a narrow belt of dark-colored, calcareous soils in central Alabama and Mississippi highly adapted to agriculture, especially the growing of cotton.

4. (initial capital letters) the area of a city or region inhabited primarily by Black people.

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black belt British  

noun

1. martial arts

   1. a black belt worn by an instructor or expert competitor in the dan grades, usually from first to fifth dan

   2. a person entitled to wear this

2. a region of the southern US extending from Georgia across central Alabama and Mississippi, in which the population contains a large number of Black people: also noted for its fertile black soil

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• black-belt
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• black belts
  plural

Etymology

Origin of black belt

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

He boasts of achieving a seventh-degree black belt in Keichu-do karate, a Cajun hodgepodge martial art developed by his biological father, Karl.

From Slate • Jun. 29, 2026

Proof of concept: he's a black belt in judo and jiujitsu -- and also working on a PhD.

From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026

The series ran from 1993 to 2001 and followed Cordell Walker, a Texas lawman who battles crime with a black belt and strong moral compass.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2026

He went on to win a black belt, winning karate championships in the 1960s.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

The young woman, who was clearly the teacher, had a black belt.

From "Maybe He Just Likes You" by Barbara Dee