black money

American  

noun

1. income earned surreptitiously or illegally, usually in cash, and not reported to the government so as to avoid paying taxes on it.

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black money British  

noun

1. that part of a nation's income that relates to its black economy

2. any money that a person or organization acquires illegally, as by a means that involves tax evasion

3. money to fund a government project that is concealed in the cost of some other project

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Etymology

Origin of black money

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

A few have also noted that while the 2016 campaign helped the government claw back nearly all of the withdrawn bills, it did not eliminate unaccounted-for cash, known as black money, from the economy.

From New York Times • May 31, 2023

Obscure black money was a large source of funding for one of the world’s most expensive elections.

From Slate • May 31, 2019

Past efforts to attract black money into the light—using tax amnesties, for example—have had little effect.

From Economist • Dec. 1, 2016

In a country where "black money", or undeclared wealth, is rampant, Sahara's size and spending power have long fuelled speculation over how the company operates.

From Reuters • Sep. 26, 2012

Edward VI. coined silver farthings, but Queen Elizabeth conceived a great prejudice to copper coins, from the spurious "black money," or copper coins washed with silver, which had got into circulation.

From Old and New London Volume I by Thornbury, Walter