Phrase guide

black eye

noun · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /ˌblæk ˈaɪ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A periorbital hematoma; a visible bruise surrounding a person's eye; an assault causing such a bruise; the eye involved.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: blinker, shiner

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A defeat.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Damage to a reputation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

An eye having a dark iris, regarded as a point of beauty.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see black, eye.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

an unfortunate happening that hinders or impedes; something that is thwarting or frustrating

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: reverse, reversal, setback, blow

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: happening, occurrence, occurrent, natural event

Narrower terms: whammy

7

noun

Meaning 7

a swollen bruise caused by a blow to the eye

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: shiner, mouse

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bruise, contusion

8

noun

Meaning 8

a bad reputation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • his behavior gave the whole family a black eye

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: repute, reputation

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

57 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: blou oog — bruised eye
  • Arabic: عَيْن سَوْدَاء (ʕayn sawdāʔ) — bruised eye
  • Armenian: կապտած աչք (kaptac ačʻkʻ) — bruised eye
  • Bulgarian: насинено око (nasineno oko) — bruised eye
  • Catalan: ull morat — bruised eye
  • Catalan: ull de vellut — bruised eye
  • Chinese Mandarin: 黑眼圈 (hēiyǎnquān) — bruised eye
  • Chinese Mandarin: 熊猫眼 (xióngmāoyǎn) — bruised eye
  • Czech: monokl — bruised eye
  • Danish: blåt øje — bruised eye
  • Danish: sæbeøje — bruised eye
  • Dutch: blauw oog — bruised eye
  • Esperanto: subokula bluaĵo — bruised eye
  • Faroese: blátt eyga — bruised eye
  • Finnish: musta silmä — bruised eye
  • French: cocard — bruised eye
  • French: mélanobutyrophtalmie — bruised eye
  • French: œil au beurre noir — bruised eye
  • French: œil poché — bruised eye
  • German: blaues Auge — bruised eye
  • German: Veilchen — bruised eye
  • Greek: μαύρο μάτι (mávro máti) — bruised eye
  • Ancient Greek: ὑπώπιον (hupṓpion) — bruised eye
  • Hebrew: פנס (panás) — bruised eye
  • Hungarian: monokli — bruised eye
  • Icelandic: glóðarauga — bruised eye
  • Irish: súil dhubh — bruised eye
  • Japanese: パンダ目 (pandame) — bruised eye
  • Latvian: zila acs — bruised eye
  • Macedonian: модро око (modro oko) — bruised eye
  • Norman: yi pochi — bruised eye
  • Norwegian: blått øye — bruised eye
  • Norwegian: blåveis — bruised eye
  • Polish: podbite oko — bruised eye
  • Polish: limo — bruised eye
  • Polish: podkowa — bruised eye
  • Portuguese: olho roxo — bruised eye
  • Romanian: ochi vânăt — bruised eye
  • Russian: синя́к под гла́зом (sinják pod glázom) — bruised eye
  • Russian: подби́тый глаз (podbítyj glaz) — bruised eye
  • Russian: финга́л (fingál) — bruised eye
  • Russian: фона́рь (fonárʹ) — bruised eye
  • Russian: бланш (blanš) — bruised eye
  • Spanish: ojo morado — bruised eye
  • Spanish: ojo a la funerala — bruised eye
  • Spanish: moratón — bruised eye
  • Swedish: blått öga — bruised eye
  • Swedish: blåtira — bruised eye
  • Tagalog: pasa sa mata — bruised eye
  • Turkish: morarmış göz — bruised eye
  • Ukrainian: сине́ць під о́ком (synécʹ pid ókom) — bruised eye
  • Ukrainian: підби́те о́ко (pidbýte óko) — bruised eye
  • Ukrainian: фінга́л (finhál) — bruised eye
  • Unami: sëkshenkweokàn — bruised eye
  • Welsh: llygad du — bruised eye
  • Polish: porażka — figurative: defeat
  • Polish: szkoda wizerunkowa — figurative: damage to a reputation