lampblack

American  

[lamp-blak] / ˈlæmpˌblæk /

noun

1. a fine black pigment consisting of almost pure carbon collected as soot from the smoke of burning oil, gas, etc.

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lampblack British  

/ ˈlæmpˌblæk /

noun

1. a finely divided form of almost pure carbon produced by the incomplete combustion of organic compounds, such as natural gas, used in making carbon electrodes and dynamo brushes and as a pigment

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Etymology

Origin of lampblack

First recorded in 1590–1600; lamp + black

Compare meaning

How does lampblack compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• lampblack vs. ivory black

Example Sentences

She was so young, but she had the same lampblack hair, the same dark eyes.

From Literature

The shoe poet sat by the glowing fireplace, polishing his boots with lampblack he had scraped from the hearth.

From Literature

“What could I have done, Bast? Smeared my face with lampblack and staged a daring midnight rescue?”

From Literature

The ink, applied by tiny brushes and in some cases a stylus, was made from water and lampblack, he added, “but we don’t really know what ‘lampblack’ means in this case.”

From New York Times

Typically lampblack or other dark pigment applied to the underside of the glass forms the negative space of the composition; the foil, shining through the open or transparently painted areas, is the positive.

From New York Times