Blackboard

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈblækbɔɹd/

Definitions

1. A dark surface, typically made of slate or synthetic material, used in classrooms for writing with chalk to display information to students
2. A surface, often dark and smooth, used primarily in educational settings for writing with chalk or markers to convey lessons and information
3. A panel designed for instructional purposes, commonly dark in color, enabling the writing of notes and diagrams for visibility in a classroom context

Etymology: A blackboard is named for its material before its colour: the old writing surfaces were usually slabs of black slate, which is why the compound became "black" plus "board". The slate was prized for its smooth, flat face, and it could be wiped clean with a cloth and reused again and again, a practical advantage over paper and ink. The compound is transparent in its parts. "Board" in the sense of a flat piece of wood or stone that carries writing or display has been in English for centuries, and pairing it with "black" simply described the slate that was the normal surface of the classroom. The name outlasted the material: later boards were made of painted wood, then of other materials, yet the word kept its original colour.

Synonyms: chalkboard, writing board, notice board, display board