Definition of "black-and-white" in English

adjective

1. Of art, a photograph or photography, using shades of grey rather than shades of any other color.

2. Of a television or monitor, displaying images in shades of grey rather than color.

3. (figurative, idiomatic) Classifying people, objects or concepts as two polar opposites, especially "right" and "wrong"; dichotomous and inflexible.

   • 2008, Linus Torvalds, [https://web.archive.org/web/20140805134937/http://article.gmane.org/gmane.linux.kernel/706950 Re: [stable] Linux 2.6.25.10], LKML; quoted in: Bezpieczeństwo, Jacek Popławski, pl.comp.os.advocacy, Usenet Security people are often the black-and-white kind of people that I can't stand.

4. Alternative form of black and white (easily divided into diametrically opposing camps).

noun

1. Alternative form of black and white.