color

Language: en

🇬🇧 /ˈkʌlə/ 🇺🇸 /ˈkʌlɜr/

📖 Definitions

  1. noun
    The visual perceptual property derived from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes; a particular hue or shade.; A pigment, dye, or other substance used to impart color to something.; The quality of being vivid or interesting; richness and variety.; The appearance of the skin, especially as an indication of health, emotion, or race.; A flag, banner, or standard, especially of a military unit or nation.; An outward appearance or semblance; a pretext or guise.; In law, the appearance of a right or claim, whether valid or not.; In snooker or billiards, any ball other than the cue ball and red balls.; A badge, emblem, or insignia worn to show allegiance to a team, group, or cause.; In horse racing, the distinctive jacket and cap worn by a jockey to identify the owner.
  2. verb
    To give color to; to apply pigment, dye, or tint to something.; To influence or affect the perception, interpretation, or judgment of something.; To become red in the face from embarrassment, shame, or modesty; to blush.; To misrepresent or distort; to give a false or misleading impression of.
  3. adjective
    Relating to or intended for people of non-white racial background; involving racial diversity.; Involving or producing color, as opposed to black and white.

🔗 Details

Word forms

countable / uncountable Plural: colors 3rd sing.: colors Past: colored Past part.: colored Pres part.: coloring

Collocations

color schemecolor palettetrue colorscolor blindin coloradd color tolocal color

Derivatives

colorfulcolorlesscoloringcolorationdiscolorrecolorcolorantcolorizemulticoloredwatercolor

Synonyms

hueshadetinttonepigmentchroma

Commonly confused

colour
EN: 'Colour' is simply the British English spelling of 'color'; they are the same word.
hue
EN: 'Hue' refers specifically to the pure color family (red, blue, etc.), while 'color' is a broader term encompassing hue, saturation, and brightness.
shade
EN: 'Shade' technically refers to a color darkened by adding black, while 'color' is the general term.

Spelling tips

EN: Remember that 'color' is American English and 'colour' is British English. Derivatives follow the same pattern: 'colorful' (AmE) vs 'colourful' (BrE).

💬 Examples

  1. The color of the sky turned orange at sunset.

  2. She mixed the colors on her palette before painting.

  3. The festival added color to the otherwise dull town.

  4. The color returned to her cheeks after she rested.

  5. The soldiers saluted as the colors were raised.

  6. He acted under the color of friendship but had ulterior motives.

  7. The defendant claimed color of title to the property.

  8. He potted all the reds and then moved on to the colors.

  9. Fans wore the team's colors proudly to the stadium.

  10. The jockey rode in the famous green and gold colors.