black belt

1 of 2

noun (1)

: one who holds the rating of expert in various arts of self-defense (such as judo and karate)

also : the rating itself

black belt

2 of 2

noun (2)

ˈblak-ˌbelt 

1

: an area characterized by rich black soil

2

often capitalized both Bs : an area densely populated by Black people

The story of civil rights in Tuskegee is also a study in ambiguity, for it is a history at once unusual and typical of the Southern black belt.

—Jim Haskins

Examples of black belt in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The family of five, each with a fourth-degree black belt, run the Yong-in Taekwondo dojo in Katy, Texas, outside Houston. —Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 19 June 2024

Ahead of Cobra Kai season six’s return to Netflix for part two on Nov. 15, viewers should get ready for the caliber of black belts and karate masters at the Sekai Taikai, the global tournament, to go way up. —Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Oct. 2024

For her final day in court, Carroll stuck to her longtime outfit formula: a black turtleneck paired with a black pleated skirt; a white brocade blazer cinched with a black belt; opaque black stockings; and a cream overcoat. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 13 Sep. 2024

While that is technically true — Drew reached junior black belt status learning TaeKwonDo in eighth grade — the offhand remark caused a serious misunderstanding. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1911, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

black belt

noun

: one holding the rating of expert especially in various arts of self-defense (as karate)

also : the rating itself

Geographical Definition

Black Belt

geographical name

strip of rolling prairie land extending across central Alabama and Mississippi with fertile black clayey soil formerly notable for the production of cotton