Watercolours

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. a form of artistic expression involving colors that dissolve in water and create a transparent appearance on surfaces
2. Pigments mixed with water to create a paint that produces translucent color effects on paper or other surfaces
3. A type of paint in which colors are dispersed in water, allowing for light, transparent brushwork that blends softly

Etymology: "Watercolours" is the plural of "watercolour," a compound of "water" and "colour." The pairing is transparent, but the meaning is not: the word names a paint whose pigment is suspended in water rather than oil, and the transparency that defines it comes from that medium. Because the pigment is thinned and laid down in washes, the paper's white shows through, which is why the result looks luminous and blends softly rather than sitting on the surface. The plural form is used because the word normally refers to a set of paints in tubes or pans, or to a collection of paintings made in this medium. A single work is a "watercolour," and a box of pigments is "watercolours."

Synonyms: paints, pigments