black sheep
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A disgrace to the family or community; a mauvais sujet. Black sheep are looked on with dislike by some shepherds, and are not so valuable as white ones. Cp.
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 sheep” mean?
A disgrace to the family or community; a mauvais sujet. Black sheep are looked on with dislike by some shepherds, and are not so valuable as white ones. Cp.
Is “black sheep” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.