blackity-black

blackity-black

English

Alternative forms

• blackity black

Etymology

Unknown. Perhaps from blackity (“blackness”) +‎ black, with the reduplication serving to intensify or stress the focus on being black (i.e. African-American). Compare blackest black.

Adjective

blackity-black (comparative more blackity-black, superlative most blackity-black)

1. (informal, slang, of persons, non-pejorative) Typifying characteristic traits (e.g. physical, cultural, linguistic, etc.) of African-American blacks, especially in defiant contrast to those of whites or white-favouring blacks; quintessentially or characteristically black
   • 2006, Carol Taylor, Wanderlust: Erotic Travel Tales:

     Like my dad would say, he was "blackity black black." My parents would freak.

   • 2014, Teresa Wiltz, The Real America: The tangled roots of race and identity:

     I'm black y'all, and I'm black y'all And I'm blackity black and I'm black y'all [...]

   • 2015, Mat Johnson, Loving Day: A Novel:

     “I'm black. You're black. African American, Bilalian, Negro, Colored folk, blackity-black, black. Those Oreos up there, they're black too, although I'm sure they'd cry if you told them.

Derived terms

• blackity-black black