# blackness

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈblæknəs/ · frequency rank #25,682

## Definitions
1. The state or quality of being black in colour.
2. Any space that such colour pervades.
3. Darkness, gloominess; depression.
4. The quality of being evil or dismal.
5. The state of being of African descent.
6. The experiences and culture of African-American people.

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English blaknesse, equivalent to black + -ness. Sense 5 most likely both originated from the masque The Masque of Blackness by Ben Jonson and later changed to its current positive sense.

## Easily confused with
- **blackest** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blackest-vs-blackness)

## Common misspellings (13)
`balckness`, `bblackness`, `blacckness`, `blackenss`, `blackkness`, `blacknes`, `blacknness`, `blacknses`, `blacnkess`, `blakcness`, `blcakness`, `bllackness`, `lbackness`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/blackness