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black widow

(Encyclopedia)black widow, poisonous spider of the genus Latrodectus, found throughout North and South America and common in the SW United States. The name derives from the fact that the female, like those of many ...

Black English

(Encyclopedia)Black English, distinctive dialect spoken at times by as many as 80% to 90% of African Americans; also called ebonics [from ebony and phonics]. Long considered merely substandard English, it is in fac...

Black Forest

(Encyclopedia)Black Forest, Ger. Schwarzwald, mountain range, SW Germany, extending 90 mi (145 km) between the Rhine and Neckar rivers. Feldberg is the highest (4,898 ft/1,493 m) peak. The range is covered by dark ...

Black Muslims

(Encyclopedia)Black Muslims, African-American religious movement in the United States, split since the late 1970s into the American Society of Muslims and the Nation of Islam. The original group was founded (1930) ...

Black River

(Encyclopedia)Black River. 1 River rising in SE Mo. and flowing c.300 mi (480 km) SE, then SW to the White River near Newport, Ark. It is partly navigable. Clearwater Dam is on the river near Piedmont, Mo. 2 River ...

Black Death

(Encyclopedia)Black Death: see plague.

black earth

(Encyclopedia)black earth: see chernozem.

black haw

(Encyclopedia)black haw: see honeysuckle.

black lead

(Encyclopedia)black lead: see graphite.

black letter

(Encyclopedia)black letter: see type.