blackboard

American  

[blak-bawrd, -bohrd] / ˈblækˌbɔrd, -ˌboʊrd /

noun

1. a sheet of smooth, hard material, especially dark slate, used in schools, lecture rooms, etc., for writing or drawing on with chalk.

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blackboard British  

/ ˈblækˌbɔːd /

noun

1. a hard or rigid surface made of a smooth usually dark substance, used for writing or drawing on with chalk, esp in teaching

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Etymology

Origin of blackboard

First recorded in 1815–25; black + board

Example Sentences

Its breath came again, like a shard of glass down a blackboard.

From Literature

“For this year’s project,” she said, “we’re going to study each other. That’s the assignment on the blackboard, Compliments for Classmates.”

From Literature

They always at least stay around the proverbial blackboard, as Friedman calls it, in case a player’s market doesn’t develop as expected.

From Los Angeles Times

Looming behind the bluesman is a blackboard, on which a genealogy of the blues has been chalk-drawn in an orderly hand.

From The Wall Street Journal

He would walk into the classroom, take a piece of chalk out of his pocket, go straight to the blackboard, and begin.

From Literature