blackface en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈblækˌfeɪs/
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *blakaz Proto-West Germanic *blak Old English blæc Middle English blak English black Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *dʰh₁kyéti Proto-Italic *θakjō Proto-Italic *fakjō Latin faciō Proto-Italic *-jēs Latin -iēs Latin faciēs Late Latin facia Old French facebor. Middle English face English face English blackface From black + face.
Meanings
-
(uncountable) The practice in which a nonblack person blackens their face using theatrical makeup in order to portray a caricature of a black person.
Soberano hit back at Instagram comments, writing, "This is not any form of blackface." But has since backtracked.
2019, Farah Andrews, “Filipina Actress Liza Soberano Slammed for Mel B 'Blackface'”, in The National News:
- (countable) A sheep of the Scottish Blackface breed.
-
(countable, uncountable) Synonym of boldface.
The laboratory procedure in the most important tests and methods is printed in blackface type for convenience of reference.
1917, Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Journal - Franklin Institute of the State of Pennsylvania, →OCLC:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| blackfaces | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| Blackface | alternative | lexicographic |
Coordinates
yellowface · brownface · gayface · vocal blackface · Jewface · whiteface · blackvoice · transface · redface
Deriveds
blackfaced · womanface · blackfacing · vocal blackface · digital blackface