World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English DictionariesBlack market
/ˈblæk ˌmɑːr.kɪt/Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
An illegal traffic or trade in officially controlled or scarce commodities.
"During the economic crisis, many people turned to the black market to buy essential goods." - 2
A market where goods are sold illegally, often at inflated prices.
"The black market for stolen art has grown significantly in recent years."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
The term combines 'black' in its medieval European sense of illicit, clandestine, or wicked, with 'market' derived from Latin 'mercaus' via Old French. It gained widespread usage in the 20th century, particularly during and after World War II, to describe economic activity conducted outside official government channels and price controls.
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10 Global Lexicons: How "Black market" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
marché noir
Transliteration: maʁʃe nwaʁ
"Le marché noir a prospéré pendant la guerre."
Schwarzmarkt
Transliteration: ʃvaʁtsmaʁkt
"Der Schwarzmarkt florierte während der Krise."
mercato nero
Transliteration: merˈkaːto ˈneːro
"Il mercato nero è aumentato durante la pandemia."
mercado negro
Transliteration: meɾˈkaðo ˈneɣɾo
"El mercado negro se ha expandido en tiempos de crisis."
mercado negro
Transliteration: meʁˈkadu ˈneɡɾu
"O mercado negro cresceu durante a recessão."
काला बाजार
Transliteration: kālā bāzār
"आर्थिक संकट के दौरान काला बाजार बढ़ गया।"
黑市
Transliteration: hēi shì
"经济危机期间，黑市交易增加。"
암시장의
Transliteration: amsijang-ui
"경제 위기 동안 암시장이 증가했습니다."
闇市場
Transliteration: yami shijō
"経済危機の間、闇市場が拡大しました。"
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