What does blackjack mean?
Blackjack is primarily known as one of the world's most popular gambling card games, in which each player competes against the dealer to assemble a hand whose cards total as close to twenty-one as possible without going over. Its appeal lies in its blend of luck and decision-making: players choose whether to hit, stand, split, or double down, and skilled play can narrow the house's advantage considerably. Beyond the casino, 'blackjack' has several other established meanings. It can denote a short, leather-covered bludgeon carried as a concealed weapon — a sense common in older detective fiction and police reporting — and it names a small, scrubby North American oak with dark, blocky bark. Used figuratively as a verb, it means to force someone's compliance through threats or pressure. The word combines 'black' with 'jack', an old English term for a common fellow or generic man, giving it a slightly rough-and-ready character that suits its varied, often hard-edged senses.
A gambling card game in which players try to beat the dealer by obtaining cards totaling as close to 21 as possible without exceeding it.
"The dealer flipped over an ace, offering insurance at the blackjack table."
Also called twenty-one; this is by far the dominant modern sense.
A short, heavy, leather-covered club with a flexible handle, used as a blunt weapon.
"The rioter was subdued with a blow from a blackjack."
Somewhat dated; more familiar from mid-20th-century crime writing.
A small North American oak (Quercus marilandica) with dark, rough bark, or a related tree.
"The dry ridge was covered in stunted blackjack oaks."
Chiefly North American usage.
To compel or coerce someone, especially through the use of threats or intimidation.
"He refused to be blackjacked into signing the deal."
Rare and informal.
Standard plural, used when referring to multiple games, weapons, or trees.
"Both casinos had a dozen blackjack tables on their main floors."
Blackjack is one of the few casino games where skilled players can genuinely tip the odds against the house — which is why card counting gets you banned rather than arrested.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of blackjack
Blackjack is formed from the English words 'black' and 'jack', where 'jack' was historically a general term for a common man or fellow, as well as for various everyday objects and implements. The name of the card game derives from an early American bonus rule: a hand consisting of the ace of spades and a black jack (either black-suited jack) paid extra, which fixed the association between the game and the term. The weapon and tree senses arose independently from the same combining elements, reflecting the productive habit of English compound formation with 'black'. Cognate formations include other 'black' compounds such as blackball and blackleg.
How blackjack is actually used
As a noun, 'blackjack' most commonly refers to the casino card game and is neutral in register. The weapon sense is somewhat dated but still understood, especially in crime fiction and journalism about policing. The verb sense ('to coerce') is rare and informal. The tree sense is chiefly North American.
Easily confused with blackjack
Craps is a dice-based gambling game, whereas blackjack is played with playing cards against the dealer.