How Do You Spell MOST BLACKBALLED?

Pronunciation: [mˈə͡ʊst blˈakbə͡ld] (IPA)

The correct spelling of the word "most blackballed" is [moʊst blæk bɔld]. The word "blackball" means to exclude or reject someone from a group or organization. The "-ed" suffix is added to the end of "blackball" to indicate the past tense. "Most" is added to indicate that the action of blackballing was done to a greater extent than any other instance. The spelling of the word follows standard English phonetic rules, with the /k/ sound at the end of "black" being spelled as "ck" due to the preceding short vowel sound.

MOST BLACKBALLED Meaning and Definition

  1. The term "most blackballed" refers to an individual or entity experiencing the highest degree of exclusion, rejection, or ostracism within a particular setting, community, or industry. The phrase combines the superlative "most" to signify the highest level of being blackballed, which entails being actively excluded or banned from social or professional circles, often due to a negative or controversial reputation.

    Blackballing, historically practiced in organizations, societies, and social circles, involves blocking or vetoing someone's membership or access by casting a black (negative) vote. The individual or entity deemed "most blackballed" faces an elevated level of rejection or exclusion compared to others. This can manifest through being denied opportunities, shunned or marginalized, having their voice silenced, or facing professional and personal setbacks due to a collective decision to exclude or avoid association with them.

    Being "most blackballed" implies a prominent status in the public eye, often arising from a culmination of negative actions, behaviors, or controversial views that have been widely disseminated or recognized. The reasons behind such exclusion can range from ethical concerns, disagreements, social disapproval, to perceived threats to the values, reputation, or interests of the community or industry.

    The term "most blackballed" is used to describe a severe form of social censure and serves as a measure of the extent to which an individual or entity has been excluded or banished from a specific community or industry due to perceived transgressions, leading to a loss of influence, credibility, or opportunity.

Common Misspellings for MOST BLACKBALLED

  • most blackballet
  • most blackballel
  • mostblackbawled
  • mostblackballead
  • m ost blackballed
  • mo st blackballed
  • mos t blackballed
  • most b lackballed
  • most bl ackballed
  • most bla ckballed
  • most blac kballed
  • most black balled
  • most blackb alled
  • most blackba lled
  • most blackbal led
  • most blackball ed
  • most blackballe d

Etymology of MOST BLACKBALLED

The term "blackballed" dates back to the 18th century and has its origins in the practice of secret ballots used by certain social organizations, such as clubs or fraternities. In such organizations, when voting on membership or any other matter, each member would submit their vote by placing a small ball or marble into a box. A white ball indicated agreement or acceptance, while a black ball indicated disagreement or rejection.

Thus, being "blackballed" referred to the act of voting against someone's membership or participation in such an organization by casting a black ball. If a person received a certain number of black balls, they would be denied entry or expelled from the group.

Over time, the term "blackballed" came to be used more broadly beyond social organizations and came to mean being excluded, denied entry, or ostracized due to disapproval from a group or society.