blackness

• blacknesse (obsolete)

From Middle English blaknesse, equivalent to black +‎ -ness.

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈblæknəs/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æknəs

blackness (usually uncountable, plural blacknesses)

1. The state or quality of being black in colour.

   The blackness of outer space comes from the lack of anything to reflect light rather than the absence of light.

2. Any space that such colour pervades.

   Out of the blackness came some flickers of light.

3. (figurative) Darkness, gloominess; depression.
4. (figurative) The quality of being evil or dismal.
   • 1860 January – 1861 April, Anthony Trollope, Framley Parsonage. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], published April 1861, →OCLC:

     She had seen so much of the blacker side of human nature that blackness no longer startled her as it should do.

5. The state of being of African descent.
   • 2018 February 12, David Betancourt, “‘Black Panther’ fully embraces its blackness—and that's what makes it unforgettable”, in The Washington Post‎, archived from the original on 2018-02-12:

     “Black Panther” is a stunning visual and cultural achievement that takes superhero cinema where it’s never gone before by not being afraid to embrace its blackness.

6. The experiences and culture of African-American people.

• blacklessness, whiteness

• darkness, dark (noun)

• blackenedness
• blackishness