Colour

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A characteristic aspect of visual perception related to the wavelength of light as well as a term denoting variety in appearances or styles
2. The visual property determined by the wavelengths of light that are reflected or emitted, also signifying diversity in types and forms
3. An element of visual experience regarding light wavelengths, which also encompasses different types and variations in appearance or expression

Etymology: Colour arrived in English from Anglo-Norman "colur", itself taken from Old French, all descending from Latin "color". It is a doublet of "couleur", meaning the two forms split off from the same Latin source, one entering English through the Norman-influenced route and the other keeping a French shape. English already had its own words for hue, most notably "blee", from Old English "blēo", which the Latin-derived term largely pushed out of use. Old English "hīew" also gave us "hue", still around but now used less often in this sense. The spelling is the surprising part. "Colour" is the form used in British English and Commonwealth usage, while "color" is the American spelling. Noah Webster popularised the American version by matching it more closely to the Latin original, and he applied the same logic across related words such as "colorimeter", "coloration", "colorize" and "colorless".

Synonyms: hue, shade, tint, pigment, dye

Antonyms: none, blank