black belt

[ blak belt, ]

noun

1. Martial Arts. Compare brown belt, white belt.
   1. a black cloth waistband conferred upon a participant in one of the martial arts, as judo or karate, to indicate a degree of expertise of the highest rank.
   2. a person who has obtained such rank
   3. the rank itself.
2. a person proficient in some particular skill or endeavor; expert.
3. (initial capital letters) a narrow belt of dark-colored, calcareous soils in central Alabama and Mississippi highly adapted to agriculture, especially the growing of cotton.
4. (initial capital letters) the area of a city or region inhabited primarily by Black people.

black belt

noun

1. martial arts
   1. a black belt worn by an instructor or expert competitor in the dan grades, usually from first to fifth dan
   2. a person entitled to wear this
2. the black belt
   a region of the southern US extending from Georgia across central Alabama and Mississippi, in which the population contains a large number of Black people: also noted for its fertile black soil

Other Words From

• black-belt adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of black belt¹

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

Will Stone, the MP for Swindon North, has practised the martial art for 17 years and is also a black belt in judo.

From BBC

“He signed me up for a taekwondo class for my seventh birthday. I got my black belt when I was 10.”

From Los Angeles Times

The suspect Mirzoyev, whose shirt is not visible in the IS picture, was detained wearing a long-sleeve green shirt, blue jeans and a black belt.

From BBC

The guy’s a bit of a mystery, but he does look the part: Mariners shirt, Mariners cap, gray baseball pants, black belt, black spikes, well-worn Rawlings glove.

From Seattle Times

“I was always more of an athlete,” said Brian, who grew up playing soccer and earned a black belt in karate.

From Los Angeles Times