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Definition of Death, black
Medically reviewed by Dr. Otari Nergadze, Neurosurgeon | Updated: January 2026
Death, black: The black plague or the plague. In 14th century Europe, the victims of the "black plague" had bleeding below the skin (subcutaneous hemorrhage) which made darkened ("blackened") their bodies. The black death swept recurrently through Europe, killing al least 1/3 its population in the middle of the 14th century.