blackface
blackface Lexical Profile
blackface Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Dark makeup worn by a non-Black performer to caricature a Black person, or the historical theatrical practice of performing in such makeup, especially in 19th-century minstrel shows.
"The documentary examined the history of blackface in early American theater and its lasting cultural harm."
British A hardy breed of domestic sheep native to the uplands of Scotland and northern England, characterized by a black face and legs, curved horns, and coarse carpet wool.
"Flocks of hardy blackfaces graze across the steep, heather-covered hills of the Scottish Highlands."
Word Nuance & Usage
The theatrical practice of wearing blackface is widely recognized as deeply offensive and racist due to its roots in 19th-century minstrel shows that perpetuated derogatory stereotypes of Black people.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the mid-19th century as a compound of 'black' and 'face', originally referring to the burnt cork or greasepaint makeup used by performers in American minstrel shows.