lampblack

noun

lamp·​black ˈlamp-ˌblak How to pronounce lampblack (audio)
: a finely powdered black soot deposited in incomplete combustion of carbonaceous materials and used chiefly as a pigment (as in paints, enamels, and printing inks)

Examples of lampblack in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Partially fill an old sock with talcum—use dry lampblack on plywood—and pat it along the perforated lines to transfer the pattern to the hardboard. David M. Swartwout, Popular Mechanics, 11 Nov. 2022 For several months in 1879, Edison and his team tried dozens of materials, only to find that the lampblack carbon Edison had been using in his telephone transmitters was the ideal material. National Geographic, 27 Sep. 2019 The stylus would etch the waves on a page darkened by the carbon of lampblack. Steven Johnson, WIRED, 15 Oct. 2014

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lampblack.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lampblack was in 1598

Dictionary Entries Near lampblack

Cite this Entry

“Lampblack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lampblack. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lampblack

noun
lamp·​black -ˌblak How to pronounce lampblack (audio)
: a fine black soot made by incomplete burning of carbon-containing material and used to color things black

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