Word for bright colors

If you are talking about the softer hues of pink, yellow, and green, those would be pastels:

enter image description here

From Wikipedia:

Pastels or pastel colors are the family of colors which, when described in the HSV color space, have high value and low to intermediate saturation. The colors of this family are usually described as «soothing», «soft», «near neutral», «milky», «washed out», «desaturated», lacking strong chromatic content.

Pink, mauve, and baby blue are typical pastel colors.

However, since you mentioned «bright» colors, I suspect you are referring to neons:

enter image description here

How many colors in Russian are you familiar with? In Russia, the colors are often seen as a symbol of something. For example, white is typically associated with light and purity, while black signifies night or death. In Russian culture, there are many sayings about what different colors mean. The color spectrum is a beautiful thing. It has so many different colors that it’s hard to pick just one favorite.

Some people like the blues, some prefer the pinks and purples, and others love reds or yellows. Russian culture has been known to use color symbolism to convey complex messages and feelings, including love, respect, honor, and victory. Let’s dig into a comprehensive list of colors in Russian at the very beginning of our article.

Words For Colors In Russian

Do you know how many colors there are in the world? I don’t think anyone knows the exact amount. Russia has a lot of different hues, but it is important to have a basic understanding of the most common ones, so we’ll start with those for now. Have a look at the table below for a set of Russian words used to describe basic colors.

English Russian
red красный
yellow желтый
blue синий
green зеленый
white белый
black чернить
purple фиолетовый
pink розовый
orange апельсин
beige бежевый
gray серый
light светлый
dark темно
neon неоновые
electric ядерный
acid кислотные
bright яркий
dull color приглушённые цвет

Different Shades Of Russian Colors

colors in Russian

Colors are beautiful, and having the ability to manipulate them to visually convey a certain feeling or emotion is fascinating. There are millions of different shades of colors out there, each serving different purposes and creating different looks. From neon green to electric white, there are several ways to express different shades of colors in Russian.

You can do exactly that and express these differences by using the adjectives that you can find below.

1. Adjectives For Light And Dark Colors

The adjective ‘light’ is ‘светлый’ in Russian, while ‘dark’ is ‘тёмный,’ but you can’t just add them in a sentence like that.

Instead, you have to use the ‘o + hyphen’ structure.

For example, light green becomes ‘светло-зелёный‘ and dark yellow ‘тёмно-желтый.’

2. Adjectives For Bright Colors

In Russian, we can describe bright colors as “яркий. “

Once again, you have to follow the ‘o + hyphen’ rule for the first adjective, while the second one can stand alone.

You can also use the word “кричащий” (screaming), to describe a color that’s very intense.

3. Adjectives For Soft Colors

If any colors are particularly dull or boring, you’d use “приглушённые” to describe them. 

You would say something like “приглушенный зеленый цвет” to describe a light green flower.

4. Other Shades And Tones

In Russian, the word “неоновые” is used to describe neon colors, which are very bright and intense at the same time.

However, electric colors are described using the adjective “ядерный“, which translates to “nuclear.”

There’s also an adjective used to describe acid colors – “кислотные.”

All of the adjectives mentioned above can bestand-alone, or with “o + hyphen.”

Color Symbolism In Russian

Russia has a long history of using color symbolism and associating colors with different feelings or emotions. For example, in the old days white was considered to be the color of death and funerals, while black was associated with mourning. Red is often used for warmth and happiness, but it can also symbolize anger and blood. Colors in Russian

Blue (синий)

The color blue is often associated with the sky and cleanliness. It also symbolizes power, stability, confidence, and intelligence. Blue has long been a favorite of Russians. Blue symbolizes clarity in Russian culture and is also one of the colors found on the Russian flag.

Throughout history, the blue color was often associated with the nobility in Russia, who were considered “blue-blooded,” and it became a symbol of authority with time. For example, the uniforms of police officers are often dark-blue.

Yellow (жёлтый)

In Russian culture, the color yellow mostly has a negative connotation. Yellow is often used to signify separation, betrayal, or infidelity, so unless you want to have an argument or abandon someone forever – make sure you never give them a bunch of yellow flowers in Russia.

Red (красный)

This is the color that has the most positive connotations among all other colors in Russian culture. The main square in Moscow is named the Red Square, and it’s believed that it got that name because of its beauty. In Russian, the word “beautiful” (krasivy) and the word “red”(krasny) have the same root and are very close indeed. Red symbolizes power, strength, and courage in Russian culture.

It is also commonly associated with the Communist Party. For example, the flag of the Soviet Union was red with a gold hammer and sickle on it, and during this period, Russia was communist. Apart from that, red also symbolizes love in Russian culture. If you give someone a bouquet with red roses, they will know that you love them.

Green (зелёный)

Green is associated with nature, life, and fertility. There’s a popular antiseptic in Russia, called зелёнка due to its brilliant green color, used to treat burns and bruises. Green is also commonly associated with various herbs, so the word “зелень” indicates cooking herbs and vegetation.

Orange (оранжевый)

The next one in the rainbow spectrum, this bright, sunny color, represents the opposition in Russian culture. It only acquired this ideological meaning after the so-called Orange Revolution in Ukraine about ten years ago.

Learn Russian With Ling App

Learn Russian with Ling app

While you may be an accomplished English, Korean, or Thai native speaker, if you’re looking to expand your vocabulary and learn a new language, don’t despair if Russian is not your native tongue. One trick can make things easier: using Ling App by Simya Solutions.

This way, you can take control of your language learning process and learn to speak Russian the way you learn any other subject. The app provides a complete Russian language learning experience by teaching Russian using a personalized approach in a gamified environment.

It’s available for both iOS and Android, so the only thing you have to do is to choose a platform of your preference. In addition to that, visiting our blog and reading about Russian people and their culture is something I highly recommend if you want to become a master of Russian.

Also, please check out our other related posts, like the vocab for colors in Japanese and Korean. That would be all for this article, though, so go ahead, download the app and start learning Russian with us!

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Vocabulary Builder Courses

Here’s a question – do you know what color these words describe: maroon, fuchsia, hazel, and ivory?

You probably learned simple colors like red, yellow, and blue in your first year of English… but the language has a lot more color words than these basic ones!

Today you’ll learn 12 interesting vocabulary words for different colors.

One quick note: If you search online, you’ll often find very long lists of color words – but many of these are NOT in used in everyday English. So you might see 50 terms for various shades of red – but please don’t try to memorize all of those. Those hundreds of color words are typically used to describe different colors of paint, nail polish, or makeup, but they are not common in daily life.

The words I’ll teach you today are some of the more common ones. Let’s get started.

Maroon

Maroon is a dark red color, like this:

Beige & tan

Tan is a light brown:

And beige is an extremely light brown:

Turquoise & teal

Turquoise is a color in between blue and green:

And teal is a darker version of it:

ivory

The noun ivory refers to the material of an elephant’s tusks, and it also refers to their color – a slightly yellowish-white:

lavender

Lavender is a flower that has a nice smell, and it also describes the color – a light purple:

fuchsia

The color fuchsia is a bright color, somewhere between red and purple:

amber

Amber is the name of a hardened substance that comes from trees – and also the color of yellow-brown.

coral

Coral is a pink-orange-red color that is characteristic of the substance that grows under the sea.

auburn

This color is a dark brown with hints of red/orange. It is typically used to describe hair of this color.

hazel

Hazel is a golden-brown color that is typically used to describe eyes of this color.

Expanding your vocabulary is a great way to become more fluent in English – because when you know more words, you can express yourself better and say exactly what you want to say.

I created two great courses to help you improve your vocabulary – they’re called the Vocabulary Builder Course Level 1 and Level 2. You’ll learn and practice more than 1000 useful words in each level.

Level 1 is good for learning the basics, the essential English words we use to talk about everyday objects, activities, hobbies, and more. And Level 2 is more advanced – you’ll learn words that will help you express more complex ideas.


Asked by: Takako Goerges


asked in category: books and literature Last Updated: 1st November, 2020

Words related to bright

golden, glistening, vivid, brilliant, shimmering, radiant, sunny, dazzling, blazing, sparkling, luminous, shiny, intense, flashing, silvery, pleasant, mild, translucent, sharp, smart.

Read rest of the answer. Moreover, how do you describe a bright color?

Let’s take a look:

  1. Ablaze — Radiant with bright color.
  2. Beaming — Bright; shining.
  3. Bold — Bright; vivid.
  4. Bright — Brilliant in color.
  5. Brilliant — Vivid; intense.
  6. Colorful — Full of vivid colors.
  7. Dappled — Having a spotted surface.
  8. Deep — Dark; rich.

Beside above, what does it mean to be bright? Being described ‘bright‘ is a short cut to saying above average, quick thinking, quick to pick up new ideas, quick to make connections between abstract ideas. They are also usually articulate and personable.

Also to know is, what is a synonym for bright future?

future bright

  • bright future. exp.
  • brighter future. exp.
  • shining future. exp.
  • brilliant future. exp.
  • golden future. exp.
  • glittering future. exp.
  • better future. exp.
  • future. n.

Is Beautiful an adjective?

Beautifully is an adverb which describes a verb. Beautiful is an adjective which describes a noun. In your example, you’re describing the «you», a noun, so beautiful is the one to use. You’re not describing the verb «looking» or the act of looking, so the adverb is not used.

Find creative ways to describe colors! These words lists infuse your writing with unique words for red, yellow, blue, and every color of the rainbow.

  • Color Adjectives
  • Color Nouns
  • Color Verbs
  • White Words
  • Yellow Words
  • Orange Words
  • Red Words
  • Pink Words
  • Purple Words
  • Blue Words
  • Green Words
  • Brown Words
  • Gray Words
  • Black Words
  • Color Similes
  1. ablaze
  2. ablazing
  3. accented
  4. achromatic
  5. ashen
  6. ashy
  7. atomic
  8. beaming
  9. bi-color
  10. blazing
  11. bleached
  12. bleak
  13. blended
  14. blotchy
  15. bold
  16. brash
  17. bright
  18. brilliant
  19. burnt
  20. checkered
  21. chromatic
  22. classic
  23. clean
  24. colored
  25. colorful
  26. colorless
  27. complementing
  28. contrasting
  29. cool
  30. coordinating
  31. crisp
  32. dappled
  33. dark
  34. dayglo
  35. deep
  36. delicate
  37. digital
  38. dim
  39. dirty
  1. matte
  2. medium
  3. mellow
  4. milky
  5. mingled
  6. mixed
  7. monochromatic
  8. motley
  9. mottled
  10. muddy
  11. multicolored
  12. multihued
  13. murky
  14. natural
  15. neutral
  16. opalescent
  17. opaque
  18. pale
  19. pastel
  20. patchwork
  21. patchy
  22. patterned
  23. perfect
  24. picturesque
  25. plain
  26. primary
  27. prismatic
  28. psychedelic
  29. pure
  30. radiant
  31. reflective
  32. rich
  33. royal
  34. ruddy
  35. rustic
  36. satiny
  37. saturated
  38. secondary
  39. shaded
  1. dotted
  2. drab
  3. dreary
  4. dull
  5. dusty
  6. earth
  7. electric
  8. eye-catching
  9. faded
  10. faint
  11. festive
  12. fiery
  13. flashy
  14. flattering
  15. flecked
  16. florescent
  17. frosty
  18. full-toned
  19. glistening
  20. glittering
  21. glowing
  22. harsh
  23. hazy
  24. hot
  25. hued
  26. icy
  27. illuminated
  28. incandescent
  29. intense
  30. interwoven
  31. iridescent
  32. kaleidoscopic
  33. lambent
  34. light
  35. loud
  36. luminous
  37. lusterless
  38. lustrous
  39. majestic
  1. shining
  2. shiny
  3. shocking
  4. showy
  5. smoky
  6. soft
  7. solid
  8. somber
  9. soothing
  10. sooty
  11. sparkling
  12. speckled
  13. stained
  14. streaked
  15. streaky
  16. striking
  17. strong neutral
  18. subtle
  19. sunny
  20. swirling
  21. tinged
  22. tinted
  23. tonal
  24. toned
  25. traditional
  26. translucent
  27. transparent
  28. two-tone
  29. undiluted
  30. uneven
  31. uniform
  32. vibrant
  33. vivid
  34. wan
  35. warm
  36. washed-out
  37. waxen
  38. wild

  1. accent
  2. brightness
  3. brilliance
  4. cast
  5. chroma
  6. CMYK
  7. color
  8. color swatch
  9. color wheel
  10. colorant
  11. coloration
  12. colour
  13. compound colors
  1. luminosity
  2. luster
  3. monotone
  4. opacity
  5. opalescence
  6. Pantone
  7. pigment
  8. pigmentation
  9. pop of color
  10. primary color
  11. purity
  12. radiance
  13. rainbow
  1. dimension
  2. dye
  3. finish
  4. glaze
  5. gleam
  6. glimmer
  7. glint
  8. glistening
  9. gradation
  10. gradient
  11. hue
  12. incandescence
  13. iridescence
  1. saturation
  2. shade
  3. shadow
  4. sheen
  5. shimmer
  6. shine
  7. spectrum
  8. swatch
  9. tinge
  10. tint
  11. tone
  12. undertone
  13. value

  1. accent
  2. appear
  3. attract
  4. balance
  5. blare
  6. blaze
  7. bleach
  8. blend
  9. brighten
  10. bring out
  11. burn
  12. captivate
  13. cast
  14. catch the eye
  15. clash
  16. color
  17. combine
  1. harmonize
  2. highlight
  3. illuminate
  4. infuse
  5. juxtapose
  6. light
  7. lighten
  8. match
  9. merge
  10. mix
  11. morph
  12. overlap
  13. paint
  14. pair with
  15. pop
  16. radiate
  17. redden
  1. contrast
  2. coordinate
  3. darken
  4. dye
  5. embellish
  6. emit
  7. fade
  8. flash
  9. flatter
  10. fleck
  11. flow
  12. flush
  13. glare
  14. glaze
  15. gleam
  16. glimmer
  17. glisten
  1. saturate
  2. shade
  3. shimmer
  4. shine
  5. smudge
  6. sparkle
  7. speckle
  8. spill
  9. stain
  10. stand out
  11. streak
  12. swirl
  13. tint
  14. trace
  15. transform
  16. weave

  1. alabaster white
  2. albino white
  3. antique white
  4. arctic white
  5. argent white
  6. ashen white
  7. beige
  8. birch
  9. biscuit white
  10. bisque
  11. blanched almond
  12. blanched white
  13. bleached white
  14. blonde
  15. bone white
  16. buff
  17. camel
  18. canvas beige
  19. chalk white
  20. coconut white
  1. marshmallow white
  2. milk white
  3. mocassin
  4. mother-of-pearl
  5. mushroom
  6. Navajo white
  7. neutral white
  8. nude
  9. oatmeal white
  10. off-white
  11. old lace white
  12. opal
  13. paper white
  14. pearl white
  15. piano key white
  16. polar white
  17. porcelain
  18. powder white
  19. pure white
  20. raw cotton white
  1. cotton white
  2. cream
  3. diamond
  4. dove white
  5. ecru
  6. eggshell white
  7. flax
  8. flour white
  9. fog white
  10. French beige
  11. frosted white
  12. ghost white
  13. goose white
  14. hemp
  15. ivory white
  16. lace white
  17. latte
  18. light tan
  19. lily white
  20. linen
  1. sandstone
  2. seashell white
  3. sheep white
  4. sheet white
  5. shell white
  6. shining star white
  7. silvery white
  8. smoky beige
  9. snow white
  10. solid white
  11. spotless white
  12. sugar white
  13. toothpaste white
  14. vanilla
  15. waxen white
  16. wedding white
  17. whey
  18. white
  19. white chocolate
  20. white smoke

  1. amber
  2. banana yellow
  3. bleached blond
  4. blond
  5. buff
  6. bumblebee yellow
  7. butter yellow
  8. buttercup
  9. butternut squash yellow
  10. butterscotch
  11. cadmium yellow
  12. canary yellow
  13. champagne
  14. Chardonnay
  15. citrine
  16. corn yellow
  17. cornsilk yellow
  18. cream
  1. lemon sherbet
  2. lemon yellow
  3. linen
  4. lion yellow
  5. maize
  6. marigold yellow
  7. mellow yellow
  8. metallic gold
  9. mimosa yellow
  10. mustard yellow
  11. ochre
  12. olive
  13. omelette yellow
  14. palamino
  15. papaya
  16. parakeet yellow
  17. pencil yellow
  18. peroxide blond
  1. daffodil yellow
  2. dandelion
  3. duckling yellow
  4. egg yolk yellow
  5. electric yellow
  6. flax
  7. flesh tone
  8. French fry yellow
  9. gold
  10. gold yellow
  11. golden bronze
  12. golden yellow
  13. goldenrod
  14. highlighter yellow
  15. honey yellow
  16. lemon chiffon
  17. lemon drop
  18. lemon meringue
  1. popcorn yellow
  2. raincoat yellow
  3. saffron
  4. school bus yellow
  5. squash yellow
  6. straw yellow
  7. sunflower yellow
  8. sunglow yellow
  9. sunset yellow
  10. sunshine yellow
  11. taxi cab yellow
  12. Titanium yellow
  13. topaz
  14. vanilla
  15. wheat
  16. yellow
  17. yolk yellow

  1. amber
  2. apricot
  3. basketball orange
  4. blood orange
  5. bourbon
  6. burnt orange
  7. butterfly orange
  8. candlelight orange
  9. candy corn
  10. cantaloupe orange
  11. carnelian
  12. carotene
  13. carrot orange
  14. cheddar orange
  15. cinnamon
  1. mango
  2. marigold orange
  3. melon orange
  4. neon orange
  5. old gold
  6. orange
  7. orange juice
  8. orange peel
  9. orange sherbet
  10. orange soda
  11. orange-red
  12. papaya
  13. peach
  14. persimmon
  15. pumpkin orange
  1. copper penny
  2. coral
  3. dark orange
  4. dark salmon
  5. dayglo orange
  6. ember orange
  7. fall leaves orange
  8. flame orange
  9. ginger orange
  10. gold
  11. golden orange
  12. goldfish orange
  13. ice pop orange
  14. light orange
  15. light salmon
  1. rust orange
  2. safety orange
  3. saffron
  4. salamander orange
  5. starfish orange
  6. sunrise orange
  7. tabby
  8. tangelo
  9. tangerine
  10. tawny
  11. tiger orange
  12. tiger stripe orange
  13. traffic cone orange
  14. yam orange

  1. alizarin crimson
  2. amaranth
  3. apple red
  4. auburn
  5. autumn leaf red
  6. barn red
  7. beet red
  8. blood red
  9. blush
  10. Bordeaux red
  11. bougainvillea
  12. bourbon
  13. brick red
  14. bright red
  15. burgundy
  16. burnt sienna
  17. candy apple red
  18. cardinal red
  19. carmine
  20. carnelian
  21. cerise
  22. cherry red
  23. chestnut red
  24. chili pepper red
  25. cinnabar
  1. magenta
  2. magma red
  3. maroon
  4. orange-red
  5. paprika
  6. pepperoni red
  7. persimmon red
  8. pink red
  9. pomegranate red
  10. poppy red
  11. rabbit eye red
  12. radish red
  13. rare steak red
  14. raspberry red
  15. red
  16. red apple
  17. red berry
  18. red carpet
  19. red licorice
  20. red lipstick
  21. red nose
  22. red pepper
  23. red potato
  24. red rose
  25. red velvet
  1. copper
  2. coral red
  3. crab red
  4. cranberry red
  5. crimson red
  6. dark cerise
  7. dark red
  8. deep pink
  9. devil red
  10. faded rose
  11. fire engine red
  12. fire red
  13. fire truck red
  14. flame red
  15. florid red
  16. fruit punch red
  17. garnet red
  18. geranium red
  19. henna
  20. hibiscus red
  21. hot pink
  22. Indian red
  23. ketchup red
  24. ladybug red
  25. lipstick red
  1. red wine vinegar
  2. redwood
  3. rosewood
  4. rouge
  5. ruby red
  6. russet red
  7. rust red
  8. sangria red
  9. scarlet
  10. sports car red
  11. stop light red
  12. stop sign red
  13. strawberry red
  14. tawny port red
  15. tawny red
  16. terra cotta
  17. tomato bisque
  18. tomato red
  19. torch red
  20. vermillion
  21. watermelon flesh
  22. wine red
  23. winter apple red

  1. amaranth
  2. apricot
  3. ash rose
  4. baby cheeks pink
  5. baby pink
  6. bacon pink
  7. ballerina pink
  8. ballet pink
  9. ballet slipper pink
  10. begonia
  11. blush pink
  12. bougainvillea
  13. bubblegum pink
  14. cameo
  15. carmine
  16. carnation pink
  17. cerise
  18. cherry blossom
  19. cherry blossom pink
  20. conch pink
  1. orchid
  2. pale pink
  3. pastel pink
  4. peach
  5. peach puff
  6. peony pink
  7. Pepto Bismal pink
  8. Persian rose
  9. petunia pink
  10. pig pink
  11. pink
  12. pink Cadillac
  13. pink champagne
  14. pink cheeks
  15. pink diamond
  16. pink grapefruit
  17. pink lemonade
  18. pink sherbet
  19. polka dot pink
  20. powder pink
  1. cotton candy
  2. cranberry
  3. cupcake pink
  4. dayglo pink
  5. dusty rose
  6. eraser pink
  7. flamingo pink
  8. flesh
  9. flesh-colored
  10. fuchsia
  11. grapefruit pink
  12. hibiscus pink
  13. hot pink
  14. jellyfish pink
  15. lavender pink
  16. light plum
  17. lipstick pink
  18. magenta
  19. misty rose
  20. mulberry
  1. rose
  2. rose petal
  3. rose pink
  4. rose quartz
  5. rosy red
  6. ruby
  7. ruddy pink
  8. sand pink
  9. seashell pink
  10. shocking pink
  11. soft pink
  12. strawberry jam
  13. strawberry milkshake
  14. sunset pink
  15. tea rose
  16. thistle pink
  17. tongue pink
  18. tulip pink
  19. turnip pink
  20. worm pink

  1. amethyst
  2. aubergine
  3. beet purple
  4. bilberry purple
  5. blackberry
  6. blackcurrant
  7. blue violet
  8. blueberry
  9. brandywine
  10. bruise purple
  11. byzantium
  12. cerise
  13. claret
  14. Concord grape
  15. currant
  16. dahlia
  1. magenta
  2. mauve
  3. monster purple
  4. mulberry
  5. opal purple
  6. orchid purple
  7. pale plum
  8. pansy purple
  9. passionfruit purple
  10. pastel purple
  11. periwinkle
  12. plum
  13. prune
  14. purple
  15. purple cabbage
  16. purple jam
  1. dark raspberry
  2. dark violet
  3. eggplant purple
  4. fandango
  5. grape crush
  6. grape jam purple
  7. grape jelly purple
  8. grape purple
  9. heliotrope
  10. hyacinth
  11. inky purple
  12. iris purple
  13. juice purple
  14. lavender
  15. lavender blush
  16. lilac purple
  1. quartz
  2. raisin purple
  3. raspberry
  4. rhubarb purple
  5. royal purple
  6. thistle
  7. true purple
  8. turnip purple
  9. violet
  10. violet red
  11. wild berry purple
  12. wild grape
  13. wine
  14. wisteria

  1. alice blue
  2. aqua blue
  3. aquamarine
  4. azure blue
  5. baby blue
  6. blue belle
  7. blue ice
  8. blue jean blue
  9. blue-green
  10. blueberry
  11. bluebird blue
  12. bluebonnet blue
  13. cadet blue
  14. Caribbean blue
  15. Caribbean turquoise
  16. cerulean
  17. cobalt
  18. cornflower
  19. cyan
  1. marlin blue
  2. midnight blue
  3. navy blue
  4. neon blue
  5. nighttime blue
  6. ocean blue
  7. Pacific blue
  8. pale blue
  9. pastel blue
  10. peacock blue
  11. police officer blue
  12. pool blue
  13. powder blue
  14. Prussian blue
  15. ribbon blue
  16. robin egg
  17. royal blue
  18. sapphire blue
  19. sky blue
  1. dark slate blue
  2. deep sky blue
  3. denim blue
  4. Dodger blue
  5. dolphin blue
  6. electric blue
  7. frostbite blue
  8. glacial blue
  9. heather
  10. iceberg blue
  11. icy blue
  12. imperial blue
  13. indigo blue
  14. inky blue
  15. jay blue
  16. lake blue
  17. lapis
  18. lapis lazuli
  19. light blue
  1. snowflake blue
  2. stained glass blue
  3. steel blue
  4. stone blue
  5. summer sky blue
  6. surf blue
  7. swimming pool
  8. teal blue
  9. Tiffany blue
  10. true blue
  11. turquoise
  12. ultra blue
  13. ultramarine
  14. verdigris
  15. violet blue
  16. washed denim blue
  17. whale blue

  1. absinthe
  2. algae green
  3. alligator green
  4. apple green
  5. aqua
  6. army green
  7. artichoke green
  8. asparagus green
  9. avocado green
  10. bay leaf green
  11. bluegrass green
  12. boxwood green
  13. broccoli green
  14. cabbage green
  15. cactus green
  16. caterpillar green
  17. celery green
  18. chartreuse
  19. chive green
  20. chlorophyll green
  21. clover green
  22. crocodile green
  23. cucumber green
  24. cyan
  1. jade green
  2. jadestone
  3. jungle green
  4. Kelly green
  5. kelp green
  6. Kermit green
  7. key lime green
  8. leaf green
  9. leprechaun green
  10. lettuce green
  11. lichen green
  12. light cyan
  13. lime green
  14. lizard green
  15. melon rind green
  16. metallic mint
  17. mint green
  18. moss green
  19. myrtle green
  20. neon green
  21. olive drab
  22. olive green
  23. parrot green
  24. pea green
  1. dark khaki green
  2. dark olive green
  3. dollar bill green
  4. drab olive
  5. eel green
  6. emerald green
  7. evergreen
  8. fern green
  9. forest green
  10. frog green
  11. Granny Smith apple
  12. grass green
  13. grasshopper green
  14. green
  15. green apple
  16. green olive
  17. green pepper
  18. green tea
  19. green-yellow
  20. holly
  21. honeydew green
  22. hunter green
  23. iceberg lettuce
  24. iguana green
  1. pear green
  2. Persian green
  3. pickle green
  4. pine green
  5. pistachio
  6. sage green
  7. sea green
  8. seafoam green
  9. seaweed green
  10. shamrock green
  11. spinach green
  12. spring bud green
  13. spring green
  14. sprout green
  15. spruce green
  16. summer grass
  17. swamp green
  18. tea green
  19. turtle green
  20. verdant
  21. verdigris
  22. wasabi green
  23. zucchini green

  1. acorn brown
  2. auburn
  3. autumn leaf
  4. barbecue sauce brown
  5. bark brown
  6. bay
  7. bear brown
  8. beetle brown
  9. biscuit brown
  10. branch brown
  11. brick brown
  12. bronze
  13. brown
  14. brown sugar
  15. brunette
  16. burnt sienna
  17. burnt umber
  18. butterscotch brow
  19. cafe au lait
  20. camel brown
  21. cappuccino brown
  22. caramel brown
  23. cardboard brown
  24. chestnut brown
  25. chocolate
  1. khaki
  2. leather
  3. lion brown
  4. liver brown
  5. mahogany
  6. maple brown
  7. maple sugar brown
  8. maroon
  9. meatball brown
  10. milk chocolate
  11. mink
  12. mocha brown
  13. mud brown
  14. nougat
  15. nude
  16. nut brown
  17. nut brown ale
  18. nutmeg
  19. oak brown
  20. October brown
  21. pancake brown
  22. peanut butter brown
  23. potato brown
  24. pretzel brown
  25. raisin brown
  1. cocoa
  2. cocoa brown
  3. coffee bean brown
  4. coffee brown
  5. coffee stain brown
  6. copper
  7. dark chocolate brown
  8. dark citrine
  9. deer brown
  10. desert sand
  11. dirt
  12. doeskin
  13. dun
  14. earth brown
  15. earth yellow
  16. earthenware brown
  17. fallow
  18. fawn brown
  19. football brown
  20. fox brown
  21. freckle brown
  22. ginger brown
  23. golden brown
  24. hazel brown
  25. henna brown
  1. rich earth
  2. roan
  3. root beer brown
  4. rosewood
  5. ruddy brown
  6. russet brown
  7. rust
  8. saddle brown
  9. sand
  10. sandy brown
  11. sea lion brown
  12. semi-sweet chocolate
  13. sepia
  14. sienna
  15. sorrel
  16. steak brown
  17. tan
  18. tan brown
  19. tan-nude
  20. tawny
  21. toast brown
  22. tumbleweed
  23. tweed brown
  24. walnut brown
  25. wheat

  1. argent silver
  2. ash gray
  3. battleship gray
  4. cadet gray
  5. charcoal gray
  6. chrome
  7. cloud gray
  8. cloudy day gray
  9. concrete gray
  10. cool gray
  11. cool grey
  12. dim gray
  13. dolphin gray
  14. dove gray
  1. overcast gray
  2. owl gray
  3. oyster gray
  4. pewter
  5. pigeon gray
  6. platinum
  7. rainy day gray
  8. rhinoceros gray
  9. river rock
  10. salt and pepper gray
  11. sardine gray
  12. seal gray
  13. shark gray
  14. silver
  1. elephant gray
  2. fog gray
  3. grandma gray
  4. granite gray
  5. gray
  6. grey
  7. gunmetal gray
  8. haze gray
  9. hippopotamus gray
  10. iron gray
  11. koala gray
  12. metal gray
  13. mist gray
  14. moon gray
  1. smoke gray
  2. soot gray
  3. steel gray
  4. stone gray
  5. storm gray
  6. stormy sea gray
  7. taupe gray
  8. thunder cloud gray
  9. warm gray
  10. wed sidewalk gray
  11. wool gray
  12. zinc gray

  1. black
  2. black cat
  3. black coffee
  4. black licorice
  5. black pearl
  6. black pepper
  7. black tar
  8. blackboard black
  9. blackout
  10. blue-black
  11. bow tie black
  12. carbon black
  1. kohl black
  2. licorice black
  3. Mars black
  4. mascara black
  5. mica
  6. midnight black
  7. molasses black
  8. night sky black
  9. ninja black
  10. obsidian
  11. onyx
  12. outer space black
  1. chalkboard black
  2. charcoal black
  3. coal black
  4. ebony black
  5. eclipse black
  6. eyelash black
  7. fig
  8. gothic black
  9. hearse black
  10. ink black
  11. jet black
  12. jetty black
  1. piano key black
  2. pitch black
  3. pupil black
  4. raven black
  5. sable black
  6. shadow black
  7. smoky black
  8. sooty black
  9. spade black
  10. spider black
  11. tar black
  12. tarmac black

  1. beige as a field of wheat
  2. beige as a fortune cookie
  3. beige as a pancake
  4. beige as a woman’s foundation
  5. beige as an old postage stamp
  6. beige as antique lace
  7. beige as antique parchment
  8. beige as brown rice
  9. beige as cookie batter
  10. beige as creme brulee
  11. beige as garlic cloves
  12. beige as mashed potatoes
  13. beige as pine nuts
  14. beige as pistachio shells
  15. beige as rope
  16. beige as the pages of an old book
  17. beige as twine
  18. black as a burned stump
  19. black as a burnt wick
  20. black as a cast-iron skillet
  21. black as a chimney sweep
  22. black as a coal mine
  23. black as a crow’s wing
  24. black as a dog’s nose
  25. black as a funeral procession
  26. black as a Gothic teenager’s wardrobe
  27. black as a graduation gown
  28. black as a mechanic’s fingers
  29. black as a moonless night sky
  30. black as a piano key
  31. black as a politician’s heart
  32. black as a pupil
  33. black as a rotton banana
  34. black as a skid mark
  35. black as a smoker’s lung
  36. black as a tunnel
  37. black as a wet rock
  38. black as an 8-ball
  39. black as an abyss
  40. black as an angry thundercloud
  41. black as an Imperial stout
  42. black as an oil filter
  43. black as bottomless water
  44. black as caviar
  45. black as crude oil
  46. black as eggplant
  47. black as espresso
  48. black as eyeliner
  49. black as fresh asphalt
  50. black as gunpowder
  51. black as ink
  52. black as licorice
  53. black as peppercorns
  54. black as pitch
  55. black as soot
  56. black as the ace of spades
  57. black as the sea at night
  58. black as the smoke from a house fire
  59. black as the space between galaxies
  60. black as witchcraft
  61. black like an oven
  62. blue as a baby’s eyes
  63. blue as a business shirt
  64. blue as a cornflower
  65. blue as a drowned corpse
  66. blue as a first prize ribbon
  67. blue as a jazz note
  68. blue as a little boy’s nursery
  69. blue as a mountain lake
  70. blue as a pair of jeans
  71. blue as a peacock’s feather
  72. blue as a popsicle stick
  73. blue as a robin’s egg
  74. blue as a spruce
  75. blue as a summer sky
  76. blue as a swimming pool
  77. blue as a Valium
  78. blue as a whore’s eyeshadow
  79. blue as shimmering steel
  80. blue as tropical seas
  81. brown as a bandaid
  82. brown as a beer bottle
  83. brown as a bun
  84. brown as a bunny rabbit
  85. brown as a deep suntan
  86. brown as a dried autumn leaf
  87. brown as a paper bag
  88. brown as a pinecone
  89. brown as a pretzel
  90. brown as a roasted turkey’s skin
  91. brown as a starfish
  92. brown as a tawny port
  93. brown as a tincture
  94. brown as a violin
  95. brown as a well-worn saddle
  96. brown as a winter landscape
  97. brown as an autumn leaf
  98. brown as an old boot
  99. brown as an old penny
  100. brown as bacon
  101. brown as bad coffee
  102. brown as buckeyes
  103. brown as burnt butter
  104. brown as burnt toast
  105. brown as cardboard
  106. brown as chocolate milk
  107. brown as cinnamon sticks
  108. brown as coffee grounds
  109. brown as fallen oak leaves
  110. brown as fresh dirt
  111. brown as iced tea
  112. brown as melted chocolate
  113. brown as morel mushrooms
  114. brown as peanut butter
  115. brown as raw cane sugar
  116. brown as seven-grain bread
  117. brown as Thanksgiving gravy
  118. brown as the forest floor
  119. brown as the underside of a magnolia leaf
  120. brown as tobacco spit
  121. brown as topsoil
  122. brown like a river at its mouth
  123. brown like toasted almonds
  124. colorful as a beach ball
  125. colorful as a bowl of fruit
  126. colorful as a box of crayons
  1. orange as an ember
  2. orange as an IPA
  3. orange as an open flame
  4. orange as an orangoutang
  5. orange as autumn leaves
  6. orange as cheddar cheese
  7. orange as marmalade
  8. orange as sliced sweet potato
  9. orange as tangerine flesh
  10. orange as tiger’s fur
  11. pink as a cat’s yawn
  12. pink as a cheap perfume bottle
  13. pink as a conch shell
  14. pink as a flock of flamingos
  15. pink as a Jordan almond
  16. pink as a kitten’s nose
  17. pink as a little girl’s bedroom
  18. pink as a little girl’s favorite hair ribbon
  19. pink as a new baby’s skin
  20. pink as a newborn rat
  21. pink as a petal
  22. pink as a piggy bank
  23. pink as a piglet
  24. pink as a princess’s gown
  25. pink as a puppy’s tongue
  26. pink as a sorority girl’s fingernails
  27. pink as an albino rabbit’s eye
  28. pink as an Easter ham
  29. pink as an eraser
  30. pink as an old lady’s bathroom tiles
  31. pink as bubble gum
  32. pink as canned tuna
  33. pink as cherry blossoms
  34. pink as cotton candy
  35. pink as diced ham
  36. pink as grapefruit flesh
  37. pink as Himalayan salts
  38. pink as little girls’ first lipstick
  39. pink as pinched flesh
  40. pink as salmon sushi
  41. pink as strawberry ice cream
  42. purple as a berry smoothie
  43. purple as a black eye
  44. purple as a bloated tick
  45. purple as a church in Lent
  46. purple as a crushed blackberry
  47. purple as a dyed Easter egg
  48. purple as a field of lavender
  49. purple as a field of lilacs
  50. purple as a fig
  51. purple as a fresh bruise
  52. purple as a grape popsicle
  53. purple as a king’s footstool
  54. purple as a king’s robe
  55. purple as a low-hanging cluster of grapes
  56. purple as a Mardi Gras mask
  57. purple as a pansy
  58. purple as a pile of amethyst
  59. purple as a Pinot Noir
  60. purple as a port wine stain
  61. purple as a radish
  62. purple as a sea urchin
  63. purple as a sweet plum
  64. purple as a tacky bridesmaid’s dress
  65. purple as a varicose vein
  66. purple as an emperor’s robe
  67. purple as the blood of a beet
  68. purple as wine stained lips
  69. purple like a ripe cherry
  70. red as a beetroot
  71. red as a blister
  72. red as a blushing bride
  73. red as a boiled lobster
  74. red as a checkered tablecloth
  75. red as a child cheek’s
  76. red as a Christmas ornament
  77. red as a circus clown’s wig
  78. red as a communist
  79. red as a fisherman’s neck
  80. red as a furnace
  81. red as a holly berry
  82. red as a hot coal
  83. red as a matchtip
  84. red as a mosquito bite
  85. red as a pepper
  86. red as a pomegranate seed
  87. red as a poppy
  88. red as a radish
  89. red as a rash
  90. red as a raspberry tart
  91. red as a robin’s breast
  92. red as a ruby
  93. red as a ruby grapefruit
  94. red as a sports car
  95. red as a stop sign
  96. red as a strawberry
  97. red as a sunburn
  98. red as a tail light
  99. red as a tomato
  100. red as a traffic light
  101. red as a turkey gobbler’s wattle
  102. red as a Valentine
  103. red as a vampire’s lips
  104. red as a vixen’s lips
  105. red as a winter’s apple
  106. red as an alcoholic’s nose
  107. red as an Arizona sunset
  108. red as an embarrassed schoolboy
  109. red as an Englishman in the midday sun
  110. red as an Indiana barn
  111. red as an Irish Setter
  112. red as boxing gloves
  113. red as cherry pie
  114. red as chili powder
  115. red as marina sauce
  116. red as raw meat
  117. red as satin ribbons
  118. red as spilt blood
  119. red as the Chinese flag
  120. red as the devil
  121. red as the rising sun
  122. red as the stripes on the American flag
  123. red as the velvet curtain at the theater
  124. red as Tobasco
  125. silver as a knife blade
  126. silver as a new dime
  1. colorful as a canyon sunset
  2. colorful as a coral reef
  3. colorful as a farmer’s market stand
  4. colorful as a field of tulips
  5. colorful as a kaleidoscope
  6. colorful as a kite’s tail
  7. colorful as a Mardi Gras costume
  8. colorful as a parrot’s plumage
  9. colorful as a parrot’s wing
  10. colorful as a quilt
  11. colorful as a rubik’s cube
  12. colorful as an acid trip
  13. colorful as an artist’s palette
  14. colorful as an autumn treeline
  15. colorful as an oil slick
  16. colorful as an old-fashioned ice cream parlor
  17. colorful as Buddhist prayer flags
  18. colorful as Christmas lights
  19. colorful as Easter eggs
  20. colorful as Fourth of July fireworks
  21. colorful as neon lights
  22. colorful as stained glass lit by the sun
  23. colorful as the northern lights
  24. colorful as trail mix
  25. colors faded like an old Oriental rug
  26. gray as a cemetery headstone
  27. gray as a city street
  28. gray as a Confederate uniform
  29. gray as a dead mouse
  30. gray as a donkey’s pelt
  31. gray as a foggy October morning
  32. gray as a gravestone
  33. gray as a hippopotamus
  34. gray as a metal ruler
  35. gray as a mule
  36. gray as a new army blanket
  37. gray as a newsreel
  38. gray as a November sky
  39. gray as a Paris winter
  40. gray as a pessimist’s heart
  41. gray as a pigeon
  42. gray as a plateful of porridge
  43. gray as a prison wall
  44. gray as a Russian winter
  45. gray as a shadow on the wall
  46. gray as a steel sheet
  47. gray as a stone fence
  48. gray as a storm cloud
  49. gray as a storm cloud over London
  50. gray as a stormy sea
  51. gray as a tornado
  52. gray as a toy battleship
  53. gray as a whale
  54. gray as a worn athletic sock
  55. gray as an industrial city
  56. gray as an old athletic sock
  57. gray as an old dishrag
  58. gray as fresh concrete
  59. gray as limestone rock
  60. gray as smoke
  61. gray as the light of the moon
  62. gray like breath on a frosty morning
  63. green as a baby frog
  64. green as a bamboo forest
  65. green as a Christmas wreath
  66. green as a dollar bill
  67. green as a field of clover
  68. green as a freshly mowed meadow
  69. green as a garden hose
  70. green as a goblin
  71. green as a golf course
  72. green as a gourd vine
  73. green as a grasshopper
  74. green as a lawn of new grass after a rain
  75. green as a leek
  76. green as a leprechaun’s hat
  77. green as a meadow
  78. green as a pickle
  79. green as a pine branch
  80. green as a pine forest
  81. green as a soccer field
  82. green as a St. Patrick’s Day parade
  83. green as a suburban lawn
  84. green as a superfood smoothie
  85. green as a viper snake
  86. green as a Welsh valley
  87. green as a young leaf
  88. green as an army truck
  89. green as an artichoke
  90. green as an crocodile
  91. green as an elementary school chalkboard
  92. green as an iguana
  93. green as an Irish hillside
  94. green as an Irish postcard
  95. green as an unripe banana
  96. green as astroturf
  97. green as avocado flesh
  98. green as bottled glass
  99. green as Eden
  100. green as fresh kale
  101. green as jealousy
  102. green as Kentucky bluegrass
  103. green as mint jelly
  104. green as mint leaves
  105. green as money
  106. green as olive oil
  107. green as pear skin
  108. green as pesto
  109. green as pistachio nuts
  110. green as sliced kiwi
  111. green as spring
  112. green as St. Patrick’s Day
  113. green as wheat grass juice
  114. orange as a basketball
  115. orange as a copper penny
  116. orange as a copper pot
  117. orange as a flickering flame
  118. orange as a freshly cut mango
  119. orange as a glowing jack-o-lantern
  120. orange as a gold fish
  121. orange as a Hawaiian sunset
  122. orange as a life vest
  123. orange as a Monarch butterfly
  124. orange as a prison uniform
  125. orange as a pumpkin
  126. orange as a traffic cone
  1. silver as a senator’s hair
  2. silver as a sheet of rain
  3. silver as a sleighbell
  4. silver as a spider web
  5. silver as liquid chrome
  6. silver as sleighbells
  7. silver as the moon
  8. white as a bleached sand dollar
  9. white as a blizzard
  10. white as a communion dress
  11. white as a cotton ball
  12. white as a dandelion
  13. white as a dinner plate
  14. white as a fish belly
  15. white as a flock of sheep
  16. white as a freshly painted fence
  17. white as a golf ball
  18. white as a klan rally
  19. white as a lightening flash
  20. white as a lily
  21. white as a line of pure cocaine
  22. white as a marble statue
  23. white as a marshmallow
  24. white as a moonlit sail
  25. white as a movie star’s teeth
  26. white as a napkin at a fine dining restaurant
  27. white as a pearl
  28. white as a porcelain sink
  29. white as a ray of moonlight
  30. white as a sail
  31. white as a sheep’s wool
  32. white as a starched white shirt
  33. white as a sugar cube
  34. white as a summer cloud
  35. white as a sunlit snowdrift
  36. white as a swan
  37. white as a swan’s stray feather
  38. white as a wedding cake
  39. white as a wedding dress
  40. white as a winter moon
  41. white as a woman’s breast
  42. white as an Arctic landscape
  43. white as an iceberg
  44. white as an old dog’s face
  45. white as an old lady’s hair
  46. white as an onion
  47. white as apple blossoms
  48. white as art gallery walls
  49. white as as star
  50. white as aspirin
  51. white as baby’s breath
  52. white as chalk
  53. white as cheesecake
  54. white as coconut flesh
  55. white as coconut milk
  56. white as cream cheese
  57. white as daisy petals
  58. white as desert sands
  59. white as detergent
  60. white as flour
  61. white as frost
  62. white as innocence herself
  63. white as Irish linen
  64. white as ivory
  65. white as marble halls
  66. white as milk
  67. white as mountain snow
  68. white as ocean foam
  69. white as pillowcases
  70. white as pork fat
  71. white as quartz crystals
  72. white as rice
  73. white as salt
  74. white as sea’s fog
  75. white as sea-bleached shells
  76. white as shredded coconut
  77. white as sunbeams
  78. white as the breast of a gull
  79. white as thistle down
  80. white as untrod snow
  81. white as vanilla ice cream
  82. white as vanilla yogurt
  83. white as Vitamin D milk
  84. white as wax
  85. white as whipped cream
  86. white like a light bulb
  87. white like a single shaft of light
  88. white like a spot of bare canvas in a painting
  89. yellow as a chick
  90. yellow as a custard
  91. yellow as a dandelion
  92. yellow as a French fry
  93. yellow as a honeycomb
  94. yellow as a light beer
  95. yellow as a lion’s mane
  96. yellow as a mimosa
  97. yellow as a pineapple
  98. yellow as a potato chip
  99. yellow as a rubber ducky
  100. yellow as a school bus
  101. yellow as a sunflower
  102. yellow as a taxi cab
  103. yellow as a tennis ball
  104. yellow as a yield sign
  105. yellow as an
  106. yellow as an egg yolk
  107. yellow as an old tooth
  108. yellow as butter
  109. yellow as canned corn
  110. yellow as Chardonnay
  111. yellow as cheap cheese macaroni
  112. yellow as corn in the sun
  113. yellow as cornflour
  114. yellow as gold coins
  115. yellow as legal pads
  116. yellow as lemon meringue
  117. yellow as liquid honey
  118. yellow as mustard
  119. yellow as mustard seeds
  120. yellow as olive oil
  121. yellow as ripe corn
  122. yellow as saffron
  123. yellow as sunshine
  124. yellow as unburnished gold

Published September 15, 2021

Yellow is kind of a big deal. It’s the color of New York City taxis and iconic ’90s smiley faces. The band Coldplay even wrote an entire song called “Yellow.” Songwriting isn’t really our thing, so we made a word list for you instead.

Yellow is a complex, many-hued category of colors, and there are so many expressive and surprising words you can use to describe each shade. Rather than reverting to simply yellow, pale yellow, or bright yellow, we thought we’d offer a few better options. How about nankeen? Or, maybe saffron is more your speed? Whether you’re looking for vivid color words to use in your manuscript or trying to describe exactly what shade of paint you want when you redesign your bathroom, here are 14 different synonyms to describe your perfect shade of yellow.

saffron

Saffron is “a yellowish-orange color” that shares a name with the popular spice made from dried Crocus sativas. The color of saffron yellow is a warm, almost mustard hue of yellow that could be used to talk about the particular fiery yellow of a sunset or the rolling saffron hills during a summer in the countryside. Saffron was first recorded in English in the late 1100s. It derives from zaʿfarān, the Arabic word for saffron.

 tawny

This shade of yellow comes to us from the tan family. Tawny means “a shade of brown tinged with yellow; dull yellowish brown.” It has been in use in English since at least 1350, it can be traced to the Middle French tané, a past participle of taner, or “to tan.” Tawny is used for things that have a dull yellow mixed with plenty of brown or tan, such as a tawny owl or the tawny crust of a fresh loaf of bread.

 lemon 

Lemon has been used to describe a certain shade of yellow since at least 1800. In fact, lemon is probably one of the first words that comes to mind when you think of the color yellow. Lemon yellow is “a clear, yellowish-green color,” much like the color of the fruit itself. Of course, lemons aren’t the only examples of lemon yellow. You could also use this one to talk about everything from sunflowers to taxis.

Looking for something in more of a greenish shade? Then check out these words for the color green.

 flaxen

You may have seen the word flaxen used in fairytales to describe the heroine’s flaxen hair. Flaxen means “of the pale yellowish color of dressed flax.” Flax, in case you were wondering, is “a slender, erect, annual plant having narrow, lance-shaped leaves and blue flowers, cultivated for its fiber and seeds.” Flaxen is used to describe very pale, fair shades of yellow, which makes it an ideal choice for writers describing hair or clothing. It has been in use in English since the early 1500s.

Something else those European fairy tales have in common? The name Jack. Find out why “Jack” appears in so many stories and nursery rhymes.

amber

You’re likely familiar with amber as fossilized tree resin. When we use amber to describe colors, that’s the color we’re talking about as well. Amber is defined as “the yellowish-brown color of resin.” Think of the warm, honey yellow of amber jewelry, maple syrup, or even the golden amber sphere encasing a mosquito in Jurassic Park. Amber was first recorded in English in the late 1300s.

xanthous

Which word means “yellow” but also has the potential to make you sound even smarter than you already are? The answer is xanthous. English speakers borrowed xanthous from the Greek ​​xanthós, which also means “yellow.”  Originally, the term was used when talking about the yellow of light blond hair or a fair complexion. It has been in use in English since at least the 1820s.

ocher

Ocher, pronounced [ oh-ker ], isn’t only one color of yellow. It actually describes a range of colors of earthy pigments, “from pale yellow to orangish or reddish yellow.” It’s the yellow of certain spices, like turmeric, or the earthy, golden hue of sand. The first usage of ocher in English occurred in the mid to late 1300s, and it can be traced all the way back to the Greek ṓchrā, or “yellow.”

primrose

You might see this particular shade of yellow on a stroll through the garden. Primrose is a “pale yellow” named for the primrose flower family. The word comes from Medieval Latin prīma rosa, or “first rose,” and was first recorded in English in the late 1300s. Despite its pale hue, primrose has shades of white and bright yellow that make it the perfect word for describing light yellow fabrics, paints, or even the sky at first light.

canary

Millennials will recognize canary yellow as the color of Tweety Bird. Others will know this color from some of the less famous canaries in the world. Canary yellow is a “light, clear shade of yellow” like the color of yellow daisies. The word canary was first used to refer to colors as early as 1818.

If this color evokes sweetness for you, try using one of these sweet synonyms instead.

citrine

This shade of yellow takes its name from a gemstone. It’s a variety of quartz, to be exact. A citrine yellow is “pale-yellow; lemon-colored.” In some cases, it may have a translucent quality, like that of a gemstone. You might use citrine to talk about the pale sunlight streaming through the window following a storm or even, perhaps, a cool glass of lemonade. Citrine is related to citrus, from the Latin citrus, which means “citron tree,” a tree with lemon-like fruit.

 goldenrod

If you’ve ever driven down a midwestern highway and seen goldenrod lining the sides of the road, you’ll know why this color made our list. Goldenrod is “a strong to vivid yellow,” like the flowers that bloom on the plants of the same name. You might use this one to describe the yellow of a bumblebee or your favorite cozy, yellow sweater. The first recorded use of the word took place in the late 1500s.

fallow

Fallow is a “pale-yellow or light-brown” color that you might see on fading leaves in the fall. It has warm tan and brown undertones that make it a perfect descriptor for things in nature. The word fallow also has a long history in English. It has been in use since before the year 1000, and it derives from the Old English fealu, or “yellow tending toward red, brown or gray.”

Learn more about the enchanting season of fall.

marigold

As you’ve probably noticed by now, many of the words we use to describe shades of yellow come from plants and flowers. Marigold is no exception. The term describes a warm, cheerful and golden yellow that mimics “several chiefly golden-flowered composite plants.” Originally called Mary’s Gold, marigold was named for the Virgin Mary, and was first recorded in English in the 1300s.

nankeen

Nankeen is “a yellow or buff color” named for the shade of a durable cotton fabric that originated in Nanking, China. The word has been in use in English since at least the 18th century, and it’s a synonym for yellow that many people probably haven’t heard before. You might use nankeen to describe someone’s khaki clothing or to describe the brownish yellow hue of a desert landscape in your latest piece of fiction writing.

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