black-letter

See also: blackletter and black letter

English

Adjective

black-letter

1. (printing) Written or printed in black letter.

   a black-letter manuscript or book

   • 1880, William Blades, The Enemies of Books, page 54:

     In the summer of 1877, a gentleman with whom I was well acquainted, took lodgings in Preston-street, Brighton. The morning after his arrival, he found in the W.C. some leaves of an old black-letter book.

2. (figurative) Given to the study of books in black letter; old-fashioned.
   • 1833, James Boaden, Memoirs of Mrs. Inchbald:

     Kemble, a black-letter man!

3. Of or relating to the days in the calendar not marked with red letters as saints' days; unlucky; inauspicious.

   black-letter days