What does ‘the black sheep of the family’ mean?
To “the black sheep of the family” means to a member who stands out for the wrong reasons. Brewer's notes the old prejudice against black-fleeced sheep, whose wool could not be dyed and so was worth less; the outlier lamb thus became a metaphor for the odd or discreditable member of a group.
Origin
- Brewer's notes the old prejudice against black-fleeced sheep, whose wool could not be dyed and so was worth less; the outlier lamb thus became a metaphor for the odd or discreditable member of a group.
How to use it
- Usually said with a mix of shame and affection.
- Example: He's the black sheep of the family — the only one who left the business.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.