black-marketeer: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal/Historical/Journalistic
Quick answer
What does “black-marketeer” mean?
A person who buys, sells, or trades goods illegally, especially goods that are rationed, scarce, or controlled by the government.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who buys, sells, or trades goods illegally, especially goods that are rationed, scarce, or controlled by the government.
A person who engages in illicit trade, often during times of war, crisis, or economic instability, for personal profit, operating outside official and legal channels.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Both varieties use the term.
Connotations
Identical negative connotations of illegality and profiteering.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in British English due to historical associations with the UK's extensive wartime rationing, but the term is well-established and understood in American English.
Grammar
How to Use “black-marketeer” in a Sentence
[Person/Group] black-marketeered in [Goods, e.g., petrol, medicine][Person] was accused of being a black-marketeerBlack-marketeers exploited the [situation, e.g., shortage]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “black-marketeer” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- During the Blitz, some would black-marketeer in rationed tea and nylon stockings.
- He was imprisoned for black-marketeering fuel coupons.
American English
- They were accused of black-marketeering medical supplies during the pandemic.
- Corrupt officials black-marketeered in humanitarian aid.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used critically in business ethics discussions, e.g., 'The company was accused of acting like corporate black-marketeers during the supply crisis.'
Academic
Found in historical, political science, and economic texts analysing wartime economies, black markets, and informal economies.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation. Might be used when discussing historical films, books, or extreme current events involving severe shortages.
Technical
Used in criminology and economics to describe a specific type of illegal market participant distinct from organised crime syndicates.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “black-marketeer”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “black-marketeer”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “black-marketeer”
- Spelling: 'blackmarketeer' (needs hyphen) or 'black marketeer' (sometimes accepted as open compound). Confusing with 'black marketer' (less common variant). Using it for any illegal trader without the context of controlled/rationed goods.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. A smuggler specifically moves goods across borders illegally. A black-marketeer sells goods illegally within a country, often goods that are legally available but controlled (e.g., rationed). A smuggler's goods may end up with a black-marketeer.
Yes, though less common than the noun. The verb is 'to black-marketeer' (e.g., 'He was arrested for black-marketeering').
It is most strongly associated with historical crises like wars, but it can be accurately used for any situation with government-controlled scarcity, such as a severe modern-day economic collapse with price controls.
A 'profiteer' makes excessive profits, especially in times of shortage, but may do so legally (e.g., by raising prices). A 'black-marketeer' is always operating illegally. All black-marketeers are profiteers, but not all profiteers are black-marketeers.
A person who buys, sells, or trades goods illegally, especially goods that are rationed, scarce, or controlled by the government.
Black-marketeer is usually formal/historical/journalistic in register.
Black-marketeer: in British English it is pronounced /ˌblæk mɑːkɪˈtɪə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌblæk mɑːrkəˈtɪr/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[not a primary idiom carrier]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'market' that operates in the 'black' (shadows, illegally). A 'black-marketeer' is the 'eer' (person) who runs it. Like a 'pioneer' explores new land, a black-marketeer explores illegal trade.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMERCE IS WAR / SOCIETY IS A BODY. The black-marketeer is a parasite or traitor within the societal body, fighting a private, illicit war against regulations for personal gain.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'black-marketeer' MOST appropriately used?