Decolours

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To remove color from something, making it lighter or colorless
2. To fade or wash out colors, resulting in a less vibrant appearance
3. To alter the original hues of an object, often leading to a more muted or neutral tone

Etymology: "Decolours" is the third-person singular present form of "decolour," a verb meaning to drain colour from something. The verb is built from the prefix "de-," which in English usually signals removal or reversal, attached to "colour," which came into English from Old French "colour" and ultimately from the Latin "color." Adding "de-" to a noun to form a verb meaning "remove that thing" is a common pattern, so "decolour" follows the same logic as words like "defrost" or "decaffeinate." The "-s" ending simply marks the present tense for a third-person subject, as in "she decolours the print" or "the sun decolours the fabric over time."

Synonyms: fades, bleaches, whitens, discolors, lightens

Antonyms: colors, dyes, darkens, tints, stains