black-letter day: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Rare/ArchaicFormal/Literary/Historical
Quick answer
What does “black-letter day” mean?
A day marked in calendars (historically in black ink) for religious feasts and saints' days.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A day marked in calendars (historically in black ink) for religious feasts and saints' days.
An unlucky or unfortunate day; a day of misfortune or disaster (opposite of a 'red-letter day').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally rare in both varieties. Slightly more likely to be encountered in British historical/literary contexts.
Connotations
Historical, ecclesiastical, literary. Can sound pretentious or overly formal if used in modern casual speech.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in contemporary corpora. Found mainly in historical texts, classical literature, or academic writing about calendar systems.
Grammar
How to Use “black-letter day” in a Sentence
[subject] proved to be a black-letter day for [person/group]Historians note that [date] was a black-letter day in [context]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “black-letter day” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The black-letter day entries in the medieval manuscript were meticulously copied.
- He referred to the date with black-letter day solemnity.
American English
- The archive contained a black-letter day calendar from the 17th century.
- It was a black-letter day moment in the town's history.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used. 'Black Friday' is a different, modern commercial term.
Academic
Might appear in historical, liturgical, or literary studies discussing calendars or archaic language.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would likely confuse most listeners; 'unlucky day' or 'bad day' used instead.
Technical
Not used in technical fields. Specific to historical calendar terminology.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “black-letter day”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “black-letter day”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “black-letter day”
- Using it to mean simply 'a sad day' without the historical/calendrical connotation.
- Confusing it with 'Black Friday' (shopping).
- Misspelling as 'blackletter day' (no hyphen).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an archaic or historical term. In modern English, people say 'unlucky day', 'bad day', or 'day of misfortune' instead.
The direct opposite is a 'red-letter day', which means a memorably happy or significant day.
It originates from the practice in early printed calendars and church almanacs of marking saints' days and religious feasts in black ink, while secular holidays were often in red.
Almost never. It would sound oddly archaic and potentially confusing. Modern business English uses terms like 'setback', 'crisis point', or simply 'a bad day for the company'.
A day marked in calendars (historically in black ink) for religious feasts and saints' days.
Black-letter day is usually formal/literary/historical in register.
Black-letter day: in British English it is pronounced /ˌblæk ˈlet.ə deɪ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌblæk ˈlet̬.ɚ deɪ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a red-letter day (antonymic idiom)”
- “day of reckoning”
- “rainy day (metaphorical)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an old, black-and-white calendar where saints' days are printed in black ink. Opposite of the happy 'red-letter days' marked in red.
Conceptual Metaphor
CALENDAR MARKINGS ARE EMOTIONAL EVALUATIONS (black = negative/somber, red = positive/festive).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary modern meaning of 'black-letter day'?