The term black sheep can be used in many different sentences in the Americas and the UK. The first known publication of the nursery rhyme song Baa Baa Black Sheep was in 1744, in “Tommy Thumb’s Pretty Song Book.” How can the term black sheep be used in a sentence? However, having one black sheep in a flock was in the past considered to be an omen of good luck for a Sussex shepherd, Somerset, Derbyshire and Kent shepherds. This supposedly comes from one real black sheep that had wool that could not be dyed, and was therefore worth less than white wool or wool of different colors. What is the origin of the term black sheep?Īccording to Etymonline, the 16th century term black sheep has been used in a figurative sense since 1822. French: mouton noir‎ (masc.), brebis galeuse‎ (fem.).The below list of translations for the term black sheep is provided by Word Sense. Learning translations for different idiomatic words and phrases is very useful if you are going to be traveling or communicating with someone who does not speak English. Not all languages use the same metaphor as black sheep, but you may notice that many of these follow a similar pattern. Many different languages also contain words that mean black sheep. There are many other different words and phrases that describe people who are exemplary and stand out from the pack in a positive way. This term has a negative connotation, so if you are trying to refer to someone who stands out from a group in a good way, opt for a different term. This does not refer to people who simply wear black fleece, but refers to people who perform a deviation from some group of accepted standards of a group or family.

For example, an atheist in a very devout, religious family might be considered the black sheep of the family. Today, it is used as a metaphor for evil. The lambs stand out for their black wool.

Think about a black lamb in a flock of white sheep. This person might be the least reputable member of a group or an odd member of a group. According to Collins English Dictionary, a black sheep is a noun that refers to someone who is a member of some family or group, but who is considered bad or worthless by the people in that family or group.

Dark sheep meaning