Black Arl
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The art practised by conjurors, wizards, and others who professed to have dealings with the devil; so called from the idea that necromancy (<?.v.) was connected with the Lat. niger, black.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Black Arl” mean?
The art practised by conjurors, wizards, and others who professed to have dealings with the devil; so called from the idea that necromancy (<?.v.) was connected with the Lat. niger, black.
Is “Black Arl” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.