blackmail

noun

black·​mail ˈblak-ˌmāl 

1

: a tribute anciently exacted on the Scottish border by plundering chiefs in exchange for immunity from pillage

2

a

: extortion or coercion by threats especially of public exposure or criminal prosecution

b

: the payment that is extorted

blackmail transitive verb

blackmailer noun

Examples of blackmail in a Sentence

She was a victim of blackmail.

The servant extorted blackmail from her employer.

Recent Examples on the Web

The suit comes just days after Lasry, Avenue Capital, and cofounder Sonia Gardner sued Gina Strum, accusing her of carrying out a decade-long campaign of harassment and blackmail and then seeking $50 million from the firm. —Alena Botros, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2024

After the Nuzzi and Kennedy story erupted in media circles and sparked a tabloid feeding frenzy, Nuzzi sued the political journalist and her ex-fiancé, Ryan Lizza, for harassment and blackmail. —Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Oct. 2024

Suddenly caught in a high stakes game of blackmail, murder and revenge, Philip is forced to risk everything only to face the greatest danger of all – winning. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2024

In her request for a no-contact order, Nuzzi accused her former boyfriend Ryan Lizza, a prominent political journalist with Politico, of organizing a harassment and blackmail campaign against her, culminating with last month’s career-threatening disclosure. —David K. Li, NBC News, 2 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

black entry 1 + mail entry 4

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing blackmail

• emotional blackmail

Kids Definition

blackmail

noun

black·​mail ˈblak-ˌmāl 

1

: the act of forcing a person to do or pay something especially by a threat to reveal a secret

2

: something (as money) obtained through blackmail

blackmail verb

blackmailer noun

Etymology

from black (the color) and mail "rent, payment," from Old English māl "agreement," of Norse origin

Word Origin

The word blackmail has no connection at all with the postal system. In the 16th and part of the 17th centuries, the area along the border between England and Scotland was not usually protected by the officials on either side. Landholders were beset not only by outlaws but also by their own chieftains, who told them that in return for payment they would not be raided. In Scotland mail means "rent" or "payment." This word comes ultimately from an Old Norse word māl meaning "agreement" or "speech." The mail delivered by a letter carrier originally meant "sack, bag," and referred to the sack in which letters were carried; it is hence completely distinct in origin from the mail of blackmail.

Legal Definition

blackmail

noun

black·​mail ˈblak-ˌmāl 

: extortion or coercion by often written threats especially of public exposure, physical harm, or criminal prosecution

blackmail transitive verb

blackmailer

-ˌmā-lər

noun

Etymology

originally, payment extorted from farmers in Scotland and northern England, from black + dialectal mail payment, rent