Color — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈkə-lər/ col·or

Meaning & Definition of Color

Color (noun)

  1. a phenomenon of light (such as red, brown, pink, or gray) or visual perception that enables one to differentiate otherwise identical objects
  2. the aspect of the appearance of objects and light sources that may be described in terms of hue, lightness, and saturation for objects and hue, brightness, and saturation for light sources; also, a specific combination of hue, saturation, and lightness or brightness
  3. a color other than and as contrasted with black, white, or gray

Color (verb)

  1. to give color to
  2. to change the color of (as by dyeing, staining, or painting)
  3. to change as if by dyeing or painting

Color (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a property that becomes apparent when light falls on an object and by which things that are identical in form can be distinguished

    "a shirt that is available in every color of the rainbow"

  2. a substance used to color other materials

    "added some red color to the base paint"

    related: tint, toner, cast, hue, shade, tinge
  3. the hue or appearance of the skin and especially of the face

    "her color hasn't been good since she got sick"

  4. a piece of cloth with a special design that is used as an emblem or for signaling

    "flew their country's colors atop the highest mast on the ship"

  5. a rosy appearance (of the cheeks)

    "the stay in the country brought color to her cheeks"

    similar: bloom, blush, flush
  6. the combined army, air force, and navy of a nation

    "she hopes to carry on the family tradition and serve with the colors"

  7. the set of qualities that makes a person, a group of people, or a thing different from others

    "we saw his true colors during the emergency"

Color (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to give color or a different color to

    "per the couple's request, the baker used natural ingredients like beet juice and turmeric to color the icing for the wedding cake"

    similar: bepaint (archaic), dye, paint, pigment, stain, tincture, tinge, tint
    opposite: decolorize
  2. to add to the interest of by including made-up details

    "he gave a highly colored version of a rather mundane experience"

  3. to change so much as to create a wrong impression or alter the meaning of

    "his news reporting is colored by his prejudices"

  4. to develop a rosy facial color (as from excitement or embarrassment)

    "she colored after hearing the nasty remarks about her weight"

Related Entry: Off-color (adjective)

Off-color is a different word from Color. The synonyms below are for off-color, not for color.

  1. hinting at or intended to call to mind matters regarded as indecent

    "the movie was rated PG-13 for some swearing and off-color jokes"

Related Entry: Turn color (phrase)

Turn color is a different word from Color. The synonyms below are for turn color, not for color.

  1. to develop a rosy facial color (as from excitement or embarrassment)

    "He turned color when his crush walked in the room."

Related Entry: Parti-color (adjective)

Parti-color is a different word from Color. The synonyms below are for parti-color, not for color.

  1. as in mottled, marbled

Related Entry: Primary color (noun)

Primary color is a different word from Color. The synonyms below are for primary color, not for color.

  1. as in secondary color, tertiary color

    opposite: achromatism

Related Entry: Secondary color (noun)

Secondary color is a different word from Color. The synonyms below are for secondary color, not for color.

  1. as in primary color, tertiary color

    opposite: achromatism

Related Entry: Tertiary color (noun)

Tertiary color is a different word from Color. The synonyms below are for tertiary color, not for color.

  1. as in primary color, secondary color

    opposite: achromatism

Related Entry: Turned color (phrase)

Turned color is a different word from Color. The synonyms below are for turned color, not for color.

  1. to develop a rosy facial color (as from excitement or embarrassment)

    "He turned color when his crush walked in the room."

Related Entry: Turns color (phrase)

Turns color is a different word from Color. The synonyms below are for turns color, not for color.

  1. to develop a rosy facial color (as from excitement or embarrassment)

    "He turned color when his crush walked in the room."

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Color

The most common words with a similar meaning to Color:

Chiefly British: pendant
Archaic: bepaint

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Color

Words with the opposite meaning of Color:

Near Antonyms of Color

Word Forms of Color

Inflections: colors, colored, coloring

Derived words: colorer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Color

Middle English colour, borrowed from Anglo-French, going back to Latin color, earlier colōs "color as a physical phenomenon, pigment, complexion, appearance," probably, assuming an original meaning "covering, outermost layer, appearance," going back to *ḱel-ōs, collective derivative from an Indo-European s-stem *ḱel-os "covering" (whence perhaps Sanskrit śaras- "skin on boiled milk, cream" and, from a thematic derivative, Old High German hulisa "hull of a legume"), derivative of a verbal base *ḱel- "cover, conceal" conceal

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Color

Words & Phrases Containing Color

Frequently Asked Questions about Color

What does "Color" mean?

"Color" means a phenomenon of light (such as red, brown, pink, or gray) or visual perception that enables one to differentiate otherwise identical objects. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a phenomenon of light (such as red, brown, pink, or gray) or visual perception that enables one to differentiate otherwise identical objects. It has 11 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Color"?

Other words for "Color" include cast, hue, shade, tincture, tinge, tint, tone and colorant. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Color" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Color"?

There are 232 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Color". Common alternatives include cast, hue, shade, tincture, tinge, tint, tone, colorant, coloring and dye.

What is the opposite of "Color"?

Antonyms of "Color" include decolorize. Near antonyms include achromatism, paleness, pallidness and pallor.

How do you use "Color" in a sentence?

Examples of "Color" in a sentence: "a shirt that is available in every color of the rainbow"; "added some red color to the base paint"; "her color hasn't been good since she got sick".

Is "Color" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Color" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Color" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Color" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Color"?

"Color" is pronounced /ˈkə-lər/ and divided into syllables as col·or.