blackhead

noun

black·​head ˈblak-ˌhed How to pronounce blackhead (audio)
1
: a small plug of darkened sebum and dead skin cells that fills a pore of the skin especially on the face

called also comedo, open comedo

compare whitehead
2
: a destructive disease of turkeys and related birds caused by a protozoan (Histomonas meleagridis) that invades the intestinal ceca and liver
3
: a larval clam or mussel attached to the skin or gills of a freshwater fish

Examples of blackhead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Careful not to get your face wet, massage your skin to get rid of blackheads. Rosa Jisoo Pyo, Vogue, 14 Apr. 2025 Presence of blackheads: People with acne often have blackheads in addition to whiteheads; those with rosacea do not. Kelly Burch Published, Verywell Health, 10 Apr. 2025 There are also discourses on flatulence, notably as a method of communication between spies, on nose-picking and on the squeezing of pimples and blackheads. Dwight Garner, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025 Find it on Amazon A Liquid Salicylic Acid Exfoliant That Treats Blackheads This liquid salicylic acid exfoliant gently exfoliates skin to remove blackheads and minimize pores. Kat Romero, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for blackhead

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of blackhead was circa 1837

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Cite this Entry

“Blackhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blackhead. Accessed 19 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

blackhead

noun
black·​head ˈblak-ˌhed How to pronounce blackhead (audio)
: a small oily bit of material blocking the outlet of a fat-secreting gland in the skin

Medical Definition

blackhead

noun
black·​head ˈblak-ˌhed How to pronounce blackhead (audio)
1
: a small plug of darkened sebum and dead skin cells that blocks the duct of a sebaceous gland especially on the face

called also comedo, open comedo

compare whitehead
2
: a destructive disease of turkeys and related birds caused by a protozoan of the genus Histomonas (H. meleagridis) that invades the intestinal ceca and liver

called also enterohepatitis, histomoniasis, infectious enterohepatitis

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