Blackish

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈblækɪʃ/

Definitions

1. Exhibiting a color that is nearly black yet possesses subtle traces of another hue
2. Characterized by a dark tone that is primarily black but shows variations of light or color
3. Having a color tone that approaches black but includes hints of other shades

Etymology: "Blackish" is a plain formation: the adjective "black" with the suffix "-ish," meaning "somewhat" or "having the qualities of." English has used "-ish" this way since Old English, attaching it to nouns and adjectives to soften or loosen their meaning, as in "reddish" or "oldish." The same suffix gives us "greenish," "childish," and "Scottish." The word arrived in Middle English as "blackysshe" and "blakkyssh," spelled in several ways before settling into the form we use now. Its meaning is exactly what the suffix promises: not fully black, but tending toward black, with the darkness shaded or tinged by something lighter or another hue.

Synonyms: dark, dusky, sable, shadowy, ebon

Antonyms: light, bright, clear, pale, white