blackhead

noun
black·​head | \ ˈblak-ˌhed How to pronounce blackhead (audio) \

Definition of blackhead

1 : a small plug of darkened sebum and dead skin cells that fills a pore of the skin especially on the face

called also comedo, open comedo

— compare whitehead
2 : a destructive disease of turkeys and related birds caused by a protozoan (Histomonas meleagridis) that invades the intestinal ceca and liver
3 : a larval clam or mussel attached to the skin or gills of a freshwater fish

Examples of blackhead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Salicylic acid dots target the pore-clogging gunk in your average pimple, clay and charcoal stickers remove blackheads, and hydrocolloid patches make quick work of whiteheads. Deanna Pai, Condé Nast Traveler, "6 Spot Treatments to Save Your Skin from Breaking Out While Traveling," 5 Aug. 2019 And if deemed necessary, a dermatologist can also safely extract your blackheads. Sarah Jacoby, SELF, "Please Tell Me How to Actually Get Rid of Blackheads Already," 29 July 2019 Some of their ideas included using the tool to squeeze blackheads and make lips more plump. Christina Oehler, Health.com, "People Are Using Eyelash Curlers to Remove Blackheads and Plump Their Lips—Here’s Why This Is a Terrible Idea," 15 July 2019 Body acne tends not to show up as frequently as blackheads, but instead can be whiteheads, pimples and cysts. Sara Radin, Teen Vogue, "What Is Acne? What Causes Pimples and How to Treat Them," 27 June 2019 The Northern cat-eyed snake, Brazos water snake, concho water snake, Louisiana pine snake, Big Bend blackhead snake, Texas lyre snake and timber rattlesnake are also on the list. Marcy De Luna, Houston Chronicle, "See the endangered, venomous and non-venomous snakes in Texas," 2 July 2019 Patients turn to her Los Angeles office with cysts the size of soccer balls, blackheads that have been entrenched for decades, and pimples that have their own pimples. Leah Prinzivalli, Allure, "Dr. Pimple Popper Is Back for Season 3 With a Harrowing and Pus-Filled Trailer," 8 May 2019 Symptoms of an epidermoid cyst include a small, firm bump under the skin, a visible blackhead at the top of the bump, expulsion of a thick, yellow, smelly material, and possibly redness, swelling, and tenderness, the Mayo Clinic says. Korin Miller, SELF, "How to Tell If That Bump on Your Bikini Line Is an Ingrown Hair," 7 Jan. 2019 Nothing is better than a simple blackhead popping vid. Kelsey Stiegman, Seventeen, "10 Gross AF Pimple Popping Videos That Are Disgustingly Satisfying," 10 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'blackhead.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of blackhead

circa 1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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More Definitions for blackhead

blackhead

noun

English Language Learners Definition of blackhead

: a small, inflamed area on the skin with a dark spot in the middle

blackhead

noun
black·​head | \ ˈblak-ˌhed How to pronounce blackhead (audio) \

Kids Definition of blackhead

: a darkened bit of oily material blocking a pore in the skin

blackhead

noun
black·​head | \ ˈblak-ˌhed How to pronounce blackhead (audio) \

Medical Definition of blackhead

1 : a small plug of sebum blocking the duct of a sebaceous gland especially on the face — compare milium
2 : a destructive disease of turkeys and related birds caused by a protozoan of the genus Histomonas (H. meleagridis) that invades the intestinal ceca and liver

called also enterohepatitis, histomoniasis, infectious enterohepatitis

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