Lexical Definition

‎μέλας‎ mélas (mel'-as) black ^G:A
apparently a primary word

black.

Abbott-Smith

μέλας, -αινα, -αν, gen., -ανος, -αίνης, -ανος, [in LXX: Ca 1:5, Za 6:2 (שָׁחֹר), etc.;]
black: Re 6:5, 12; opp. to λευκός, Mt 5:36; neut., τὸ μ., ink : II Co 3:3, II Jo 12, III Jo 13.†

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

μέλας

(μέλᾰς [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; genitive μέλᾰνος, μελαίνης, μέλᾰνος, etc.; Epic dialect dative μείλανι (for the sake of meter) [Refs 8th c.BC+]: Aeolic dialect nominative μέλαις, from *μέλανς, [Refs 7th c.BC+]:—black, dark: in [Refs 8th c.BC+] generally, dark in colour, οἶνος [Refs 8th c.BC+]; μέλαν αἷμα, κῦμα, [Refs 8th c.BC+], from its being pitched over, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of men, dark, swarthy, μέλανας δὲ ἀνδρικοὺς ἰδεῖν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰ μ. black marks about the ears of dogs, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

__II dark, murky, ἕσπερος [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__III metaphorically, black, dark, θάνατος [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὀδύναι [Refs]; μ. τύχα, ἀρά, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; Ἅιδης [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἡμέραι μέλαιναι, = Latin dies atri, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
__III.2 of the voice, indistinct, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; βραχὺ καὶ μ. φώνημα, of Nero, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__III.3 dark, obscure, enigmatical, ἱστορίη [Refs 1st c.AD+]
__III.4 of character, dark, malignant, μ. φρήν, καρδία, [Refs 6th c.BC+]; μ. ἦθος M. Ant.4.28.
__IV comparative μελάντερος, α, ον, blacker, very black, τοῦ δ᾽ οὔ τι μελάντερον ἔπλετο ἔσθος [Refs 8th c.BC+]: superlative μελάντατος [Refs 5th c.BC+]:— comparative also μελανώτερος [Refs 1st c.BC+]: superlative μελαινότατος [Refs 1st c.AD+]
__V μέλαινα (i.e. νοῦσος), ἡ, in Medicine texts, of diseases causing black secretions (such as melaena), [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__VI μέλαν, τό, see entry (Cf. Sanskrit málam 'dirt', malinás 'dirty', Lett. melns 'black'.)