Etymology

black hat

Today it means: A villain in a story, especially in a Western (a film or other work of the Western genre). Full definition →

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black hat · noun1

From the black stetsons (cowboy hats) traditionally worn by such villains.

black hat · noun2

From the black hats traditionally worn by men in Haredi communities.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.