colour terms

8/12/2019 Colour Terms

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COLOUR TERMS

This list contains 168 definitions of obscure colour terms using combinations of'normal' colours of the rainbow and descriptive adjectives; e.g. cardinal = deep scarletred; russet= reddish brown. Note that most English speakers outside the U.S.spell colourwith the added British 'u' rather than the American version color. Don't worry if

the colours (or colors) in your universe don't match up with the definitions I've given forthese words, though - I've been known to have skewed perceptions of reality ...

Word Definition

aeneous shining bronze colour

albicant whitish; becoming white

albugineous like the white of an eye or an egg; white-coloured

amaranthine immortal; undying; deep purple-red colour

argent the heraldic colour silver or white

atrous jet black

aubergine eggplant; a dark purple colour

aurulent gold-coloured

azuline blue

azure light or sky blue; the heraldic colour blue

badious chestnut-coloured

beige light creamy white-brown

brunneous dark brown

burnet dark brown; dark woollen cloth

caesious bluish or greyish green

cardinal deep scarlet red colour

castaneous chestnut-coloured

castory brown colour; brown dye derived from beaver pelts

celadon pale green; pale green glazed pottery

celeste sky blue

cerulean sky-blue; dark blue; sea-green

cesious bluish-grey

chartreuse yellow-green colour

chlorochrous green-coloured

chrysochlorous greenish-gold

cinerious ashen; ash-grey

cinnabar red crystalline mercuric sulfide pigment; deep red or scarlet colour

citreous lemon-coloured; lemony

citrine dark greenish-yellow

claret dark red-purple colour; a dark-red wine


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coccineous bright red

columbine of or like a dove; dove-coloured

coquelicot brilliant red; poppy red

corbeau blackish green

cramoisy crimson

cretaceous of or resembling chalk; of a whitish colour

croceate saffron-coloured

cyaneous sky blue

eau-de-nil pale green colour

eburnean of or like ivory; ivory-coloured

erythraean reddish colour

ferruginous of the colour of rust; impregnated with iron

filemot dead-leaf colour; dull brown

flammeous flame-coloured

flavescent yellowish or turning yellow

fuliginous sooty; dusky; soot-coloured; of or pertaining to soot

fulvous dull yellow; tawny

fuscous brown; tawny; dingy

gamboge reddish-yellow colour

glaucous sea-green; greyish-blue

goldenrod dark golden yellow

greige of a grey-beige colour

gridelin violet-grey

griseous pearl-grey or blue-grey; grizzled

haematic blood-coloured

heliotrope purplish hue; purplish-flowered plant; ancient sundial; signalling mirror

hoary pale silver-grey colour; grey with age

hyacinthine of a blue or purple colour

ianthine violet-coloured

ibis large stork-like bird; a pale apricot colour

icterine yellowish or marked with yellow

icteritious jaundiced; yellow

incarnadine carnation-coloured; blood-red

indigo deep blue-violet colour; a blue-violet dye

infuscate clouded or tinged with brown; obscured; cloudy brown colour

isabelline greyish yellow

jacinthe orange colour

jessamy yellow like a jasmine

kermes brilliant red colour; a red dye derived from insects


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khaki light brown or tan

lateritious brick-red

leucochroic white or pale-coloured

liard grey; dapple-grey

lovat grey-green; blue-green

lurid red-yellow; yellow-brown

luteolous yellowish

luteous golden-yellow

lutescent yellowish

madder red dye made from brazil wood; a reddish or red-orange colour

magenta reddish purple

maroon brownish crimson

mauve light bluish purple

mazarine rich blue or reddish-blue colour

melanic black; very dark

melichrous having a honey-like colour

meline canary-yellow

miniaceous colour of reddish lead

minium vermilion; red lead

modena crimson

morel dark-coloured horse; blackish colour

nacarat bright orange-red

nankeen buff-coloured; durable buff-coloured cotton

nigricant of a blackish colour

nigrine black

niveous snowy; white

ochre yellowish or yellow-brown colour

ochroleucous yellowish white

olivaceous olive-coloured

or heraldic colour gold or yellow

pavonated peacock-blue

periwinkle a bluish or azure colour; a plant with bluish flowers

perse dark blue or bluish-grey; cloth of such a colour

phoeniceous bright scarlet-red colour

piceous like pitch; inflammable; reddish black

plumbeous leaden; lead-coloured

ponceau poppy red

porphyrous purple

porraceous leek-green


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prasinous leek-green colour

primrose pale yellow

puccoon blood-root; dark red colour

puce brownish-purple; purplish-pink

puniceous bright or purplish red

purpure heraldic colour purple

purpureal purple

pyrrhous reddish; ruddy

rhodopsin visual purple

rubiginous rusty-coloured

rubious ruby red; rusty

rufous reddish or brownish-red

russet reddish brown

sable black; dark; of a black colour in heraldry

saffron orange-yellow

sage grey-green colour

sanguineous bloody; of, like or pertaining to blood; blood-red

sapphire deep pure blue

sarcoline flesh-coloured

sepia fine brown

sinopia preparatory drawing for a fresco; reddish-brown colour

slate dull dark blue-grey

smalt deep blue

smaragdine emerald green

solferino purplish red

sorrel reddish-brown; light chestnut

spadiceous chestnut-coloured

stammel coarse woollen fabric, usually dyed red; bright red colour

stramineous strawy; light; worthless; straw-coloured

suede light beige

sulphureous bright yellow

tan tawny brown

taupe brownish-grey

tawny brownish-yellow

teal greenish-blue

terracotta reddish-brown

testaceous of or having a hard shell; brick-red

tilleul pale yellowish-green

titian red-gold or reddish-brown


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topaz dark yellow

turquoise blue-green

ultramarine deep blue

umber brownish red

vermeil bright red or vermilion colour; gilded silver

vermilion bright red

vinaceous wine-coloured

vinous deep red; burgundy

violaceous violet-coloured

violet bluish purple

virescent becoming green or greenish; of a greenish colour

virid green

viridian chrome green

vitellary bright yellow

wallflower yellowish-red

watchet pale blue

wheaten the golden colour of ripe wheat

whey off-white

willowish of the colour of willow leaves

xanthic yellow; yellowish

zinnober chrome green

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