black box

American  

noun

1. any unit that forms part of an electronic circuit and that has its function, but not its components, specified.

2. any comparatively small, usually black, box containing a secret, mysterious, or complex mechanical or electronic device.

3. Aeronautics. an electronic device, such as a flight recorder, that can be removed from an aircraft as a single package.

4. Automotive. a device in an electronic ignition system that generates electrical pulses.

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black box British  

noun

1. a self-contained unit in an electronic or computer system whose circuitry need not be known to understand its function

2. an informal name for flight recorder

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black box Cultural  

1. A crash-resistant steel container that holds instruments that record performance data in airplanes. The data are used to analyze the causes of accidents.

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Etymology

Origin of black box

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

It took almost two years and multiple search campaigns to find the wreckage and the plane’s black box recorders.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

The black box was found after months of deep-sea searches in 2011.

From BBC • May 21, 2026

Nearby, a new black box theater with high curved ceilings and 200 seats is meant to have a soft look.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

Imagine opening a black box, only to find 5,000 more black boxes inside.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

The main body consisted of a large black box topped by the engineer’s cabin.

From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead