Definition

Noun: A woman who is Black. This term specifically denotes a female person belonging to a racial group characterized by dark skin pigmentation, often of African ancestry. It is a demographic and identity descriptor.

Usage

The term "black woman" is used as a straightforward noun phrase to identify or refer to a woman based on her racial identity. It is commonly employed in demographic, sociological, and everyday descriptive contexts. * It is typically used in a neutral, factual manner. * Capitalization of "Black" is increasingly standard when referring to racial or ethnic identity, though "black woman" is also widely seen.

Examples

• As a subject:
• As an object:
• In a descriptive phrase:

Advanced Usage

• The term can be central to discussions of intersectionality, a framework for understanding how overlapping social identities, such as race and gender, relate to systems of discrimination.
• In cultural and artistic contexts, "black woman" can signify a specific perspective or experience, as in .

Variants and Related Words

• Black women (plural noun): The plural form, referring to more than one woman who is Black.
• Woman of color (noun phrase): A broader term that includes women from various non-white racial and ethnic groups. A black woman is a subset of women of color.
• African American woman (noun phrase): A more specific term often used for black women who are citizens or residents of the United States and have ancestral origins in Africa. This is not always synonymous with "black woman," which has a broader global application.

Synonyms

• African American woman (context-specific, primarily US)
• Woman of African descent

Notes on Meaning

The primary and sole meaning of the noun phrase "black woman" is as defined above: a woman who is Black. It functions as a compound identifier. It does not have alternative meanings as a standalone phrase, though the individual words "black" and "woman" have their own distinct definitions.

Noun

1. a woman who is Black