# 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.

## What it means

- 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.

## Action steps

1. Usually said with a mix of shame and affection.
2. Example: He's the black sheep of the family — the only one who left the business.

## Sources

- [Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) — Internet Archive scan](https://archive.org/details/brewers-dictionary-of-phrase-and-fable)

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