black hat

[blak hat]

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.

black hat

noun

1. informal

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

   2. ( as modifier ) Compare white hat

      black-hat hackers

Other Word Forms

• black-hat adjective
• black-hatted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of black hat¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

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

Example Sentences

Detectives are appealing for witnesses who may have seen Mr Rafael, who is described as a Black British national, and is believed to have been wearing an all-grey tracksuit, black hat, trainers and rucksack.

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Court documents revealed police recovered a knife, a Glock pistol, black gloves, a black hat and a black face mask during a search of Kohberger's family home.

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Court documents revealed police recovered a knife, a Glock pistol, black gloves, a black hat and a black face mask during a search of Mr Kohberger's family home.

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The night that Sandoval was killed in Ontario, Pulido showed up at the Firewater Bar wearing a black hat that read “Mongols M.C.” and a black sweatshirt with the letters “MFFM,” which stands for “Mongols Forever, Forever Mongols,” the officer wrote in the complaint.

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Many techniques come together in the iconic pointy black hat for the future Wicked Witch of the West.

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