Meanings
plural black cabs
- informalAn officially licensed taxi in London, now particularly those made by LTI or the London EV Company.
Black cabs may be more expensive than ubers, but their drivers are required to pass the Knowledge.
1 more example
Sitting in a black cab as it speeds away into the traffic, I check my bag. There, hiding in the bottom corner, I find a hand and body wash with the Caledonian Sleeper logo on it. I hadn't used it.
2023 February 8, Greg Morse, “Crossing the border... by Sleeper”, in RAIL, number 976, page 45 - informalSimilarly styled taxis elsewhere, especially officially licensed taxis elsewhere in the United Kingdom.
Synonyms: hackney carriage
Synonyms & antonyms
nounSimilarly styled taxis elsewhere, especially officially licensed taxis elsewhere in the United Kingdom.
Origin
From the usual black colour of officially licensed hackney carriages and motorized taxis in London, particularly after World War II.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Polish taksówka londyńska, taksówka
- taksówka londyńskaofficially licensed taxi in London
- taksówkasimilarly styled taxi elsewhere
Cite this entry
black cab. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/black%20cab
“black cab.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/black%20cab. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “black cab,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/black%20cab.
Source: black cab on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.