black box
Say it: BLACK boks /ˌblak ˈbɒks/ · noun
What “black box” means
You see what goes in and out, but not inside.
More precisely: A system whose inputs and outputs you can see, but not how it works inside.
Example: “The hiring algorithm is a black box: candidates are rejected, and nobody knows why.”
When to use it
In technical or critical discussion, for a system whose behaviour is visible but whose inner workings remain hidden.
It can also mean
An aircraft's black box records flight information and cockpit sounds, and is usually orange.
Similar words
mystery, opaque system
Quick check
You give a tool a photo and receive a score, but cannot inspect how it decides. What is the tool?
an open system or a black box?
Show the answer
a black box
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