Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

black lead

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.01 in modern English

Syllables
black- lead
IPA
18
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The metal lead.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Graphite, especially as used in pencils.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A graphite pencil.

Countable

noun

A type of polish made from graphite, used for kitchen cleaning and blackening grates.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

In the sense of lead, calque of Latin plumbum nigrum (“lead”, literally “black lead”).

Usage

Inflected Forms

black leads (plural) blacklead (alternative) black-lead (alternative)

Synonyms

graphite plumbago

Antonyms

white lead

Questions

What does black lead mean?
The metal lead.
Where does black lead come from?
In the sense of lead, calque of Latin plumbum nigrum (“lead”, literally “black lead”).

How to pronounce black lead

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “black lead”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “black lead”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “black lead” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.