If you describe someone as the black sheep of their family or of a group that they are a member of, you mean that they are considered bad or worthless by other people in that family or group. [disapproval] Synonyms: disgrace, rebel, maverick, outcast More Synonyms of black sheep.
The black sheep has been a symbol of rebelliousness and bad luck for centuries. In many cultures, the black sheep is considered to be an outcast, and it's often used as a metaphor for someone who doesn't fit in with the rest of society.
: a disfavored or disreputable member of a group.
a person who is meek, stupid, timid, submissive, etc.
The connotative meaning of a word includes the feelings and ideas that people may connect with that word. Compare. denotative.
Connotative: The connotative meaning of a word starts with its dictionary meaning, but it expands to include surrounding context. As such, connotative meanings often include either positive or negative emotional subtext, which layers on top of a denotative meaning.
Black sheep of the family is someone who is marginalised, scapegoated, misunderstood. They may be particularly sensitive, emotionally intense, curious, and are wired differently. When the family has identified a person as the black sheep, all members project unwanted negative traits onto the scapegoat.
It's not usually a compliment. But the way they describe it sure sounds familiar. Being the black sheep of the family doesn't mean you're never included or that your parents changed the locks when you “finally crossed the line” (though that's true for some).
The black sheep effect (BSE) describes the evaluative upgrading of norm-compliant group members (ingroup bias), and evaluative downgrading of deviant (norm-violating) group members, relative to similar outgroup members.
A person who is highly regarded by the greater society. great person. champion. hero.
When people contribute through their Black Sheep Values, their unique purpose is amplified. Your Black Sheep Values inform your purpose, and your purpose fuels your commitment to action. Authenticity is impossible if your Black Sheep Values are lost.
Webster's dictionary defines a black sheep as “a person who causes shame or embarrassment because of a deviation from the accepted standards of his or her group.” The same dictionary defines a scapegoat as “a person or group made to bear the blame for others or to suffer in their place.”
In sheep. Male sheep are called rams, the females ewes, and immature animals lambs.
Meaning: A family member who is considered bad/worthless by other members of the family and often marginalized or excluded.
There are three different types of connotation: positive, negative, and neutral; and all three are essential to understanding the meaning of connotation in English.
As mentioned, many words will share the same literal meaning, but may connote different feelings or ideas. Below are several examples: Stench, smell, aroma, scent, odor. Strong, tough, sturdy, hard.
If one member of the family is most often talked about over others, they might be the black sheep, especially if they way they are talked about is negative. Subtle or passive behaviors might fall to the way of more aggressive ones.
Black Sheep Meaning
While the rest of a family may follow laws, the person who is the black sheep of that family may have been to jail or is simply the “odd man out” when it comes to family relations.
Most Suffolk lambs are born black, but will eventually grow white wool. Romanov lambs are born black, but lighten to a soft silver grey as they make their fleece, a mixture of hair and wool. One of the most uniquely-colored breeds is the Jacob. The Jacob's fleece is described as white with black spots.
You can use the phrase “Black Sheep” when describing someone who acts differently than the expected norm. It's usually used in conjunction with “family” as in he's the black sheep of the family. Example of use: “Rachel is the black sheep in the family because she is an artist whereas everyone else is an economist.”
If you describe someone as the black sheep of their family or of a group that they are a member of, you mean that they are considered bad or worthless by other people in that family or group.
The black sheep of the family is the outcast, seen as different, written off. At best, they're playfully teased; at worst, they're rejected. The more they're ridiculed, the less likely they are to open up and share things about themselves.