black flag
Americannoun
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a pirate flag, usually of black cloth with a white skull and crossbones on it; Jolly Roger.
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a flag having two yellow and two black squares, signifying the letter L in the International Code of Signals: formerly so called when used by itself to indicate the presence of cholera on board a vessel.
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a signal given to an automobile racing driver to stop, usually because the car may have a dangerous problem that requires inspection.
noun
Etymology
Origin of black flag
First recorded in 1585–95
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
At the Islam Qala border crossing on Sunday, an AFP journalist said it remained open and a black flag had replaced the Iranian standard.
From Barron's ● Mar. 1, 2026
The sky was a black flag at first light.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 9, 2025
The green and black flag of the opposition, now ubiquitous, stands out.
From BBC ● Dec. 17, 2024
But the black flag isn’t a call for war, and neither the flag’s text nor the shrine’s statement about the banner references the coming of the Mahdi or the end of time.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 27, 2023
From here, callers announced new voyages and arrivals of inventory, or hung the black flag that indicated that a ship had been lost at sea with all its cargo.
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
