colors
colors Lexical Profile
colors Game Scores & Validity
• noun
American Visual perceptions or properties of objects caused by the way they reflect or emit light, such as red, blue, yellow, or green.
"The autumn leaves displayed a breathtaking array of warm colors across the valley."
American A distinctive flag, banner, badge, or uniform worn or flown to represent a country, sports team, school, or organization.
"The athletes proudly wore their national colors during the opening ceremony of the tournament."
American One's true inward nature, character, or genuine intentions, especially when revealed after being concealed.
"When the project faced a sudden crisis, the manager showed his true colors by supporting every member of the team."
• verb
American To change the hue or appearance of something by applying paint, dye, crayons, or other pigment.
"The young artist carefully colors the intricate illustrations inside her sketchbook."
American To influence, distort, or bias a person's judgment, opinion, or emotional reaction.
"Personal nostalgia often colors how someone remembers their childhood neighborhood."
American To blush or flush in the face as a result of embarrassment, modesty, or strong emotion.
"He always colors slightly whenever colleagues praise his work in front of the entire department."
Word Nuance & Usage
"Colors" is the standard American English spelling; in British, Canadian, and Australian English, it is spelled "colours." Beyond being the simple plural of "color," the plural form "colors" has distinct standalone meanings referring to an official flag or a person's true character (as in "showing one's true colors").
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from Middle English 'colour', borrowed from Old French 'color', and ultimately from Latin 'color' (hue, tint, or complexion), related to the Old Latin verb 'celare' meaning 'to hide' or 'to conceal'.