Words used to describe specific colours
alabaster
adjective
very white and smooth
amber
adjective
between brown and yellow in colour
amethyst
adjective
light purple
avocado
adjective
with a pale green colour
azure
adjective
bright blue
baby-blue
adjective
light blue in colour
beige
adjective
very pale brown in colour
black
adjective
having the darkest colour, like the sky at night when there is no light
blue
adjective
something that is blue is the same colour as the sky on a clear sunny day. If something is similar to this colour, you can say that it is a bluish colour
bluish
adjective
similar to blue or slightly blue in colour
bottle green
adjective
very dark green
bronze
adjective
with an attractive brown colour
brown
adjective
something that is brown is the same colour as wood or coffee
brownish
adjective
similar to brown or slightly brown in colour
burgundy
adjective
dark red
caramel
adjective
light yellowish-brown in colour
cerise
adjective
bright red-pink in colour
charcoal
adjective
something that is charcoal is dark grey in colour
chartreuse
adjective
bright green-yellow in colour
cinnamon
adjective
light red-brown in colour
claret
adjective
dark red in colour
copper
adjective
red-brown in colour
coppery
adjective
red-brown in colour
coral
adjective
with a colour between pink and orange
cream
adjective
yellowish-white in colour
creamy
adjective
yellowish-white in colour
crimson
adjective
dark purple-red in colour
dark
adjective
black, or almost black, in colour
Day-Glo
extremely bright yellow, orange, pink, or green in colour
dove-grey
adjective
light grey in colour
dun
adjective
between brown and grey in colour
ebony
adjective
dark black in colour
ecru
adjective
very pale brown
eggshell
adjective
like an eggshell, for example white-yellow in colour, not very shiny, or thin and delicate
electric blue
adjective
very bright blue
emerald
adjective
bright green in colour
fawn
adjective
light brown in colour
flesh-coloured
adjective
the colour of white people’s skin
gold
adjective
something that is gold is the colour of gold
golden
adjective
bright yellow in colour
gray
the American spelling of grey
green
adjective
something that is green is the same colour as grass. If something is similar to this colour, you can say that it is a greenish colour or a greeny colour
greenish
adjective
similar to green or slightly green in colour
greige
adjective
something that is greige is between very pale brown and grey in colour
grey
adjective
between black and white in colour. If something is similar to this colour, you can say that it is a greyish colour
hazel
adjective
light brown and slightly green or golden in colour, used especially for describing someone’s eyes
ice blue
adjective
a very light blue colour
indigo
adjective
between dark blue and purple in colour
inky
adjective
black, or a very dark colour
iron-grey
adjective
dark grey in colour
ivory
adjective
something that is ivory is a yellowish-white colour
jet-black
adjective
very shiny and black in colour
lavender
adjective
light purple in colour
leaden
adjective
dull and dark grey in colour
lilac
adjective
pale purple in colour
lily-white
adjective
pure white
lime-green
adjective
bright yellow-green in colour
livid
adjective
dark purple or blue-grey in colour
magenta
adjective
purple-red in colour
maroon
adjective
dark red-brown in colour
mauve
adjective
pale purple in colour
milk-white
adjective
something that is milk-white is the colour of milk
milky
adjective
something that is milky is the colour of milk
navy blue
adjective
very dark blue
nut-brown
adjective
medium brown in colour
off-white
adjective
something that is off-white is a white colour that is slightly yellow or grey
olive
adjective
dark yellowish green in colour
olive drab
adjective
dark grey-green in colour, like many military uniforms
orange
adjective
between red and yellow in colour. If something is similar to this colour, you can say that it is an orangey colour or that it is, for example, orangey-red or orangey-yellow
orangey
adjective
similar to orange or slightly orange in colour
pale
adjective
light and not bright in colour
peach
adjective
yellowish pink in colour
peachy
adjective
similar to a peach in colour, taste, or smell
peacock blue
adjective
dark blue-green in colour
pea green
adjective
bright green in colour
pink
adjective
between red and white in colour. If something is similar to this colour, you can say that it is a pinkish or pinky colour
pinkish
adjective
similar to pink or slightly pink in colour
pitch-black
adjective
completely black or dark
plum
adjective
between red and purple in colour
plummy
adjective
similar to a plum in colour or flavour
puce
adjective
something that is puce has a colour between dark brown or dark red and purple
purple
adjective
between red and blue in colour. If something is similar to this colour, you can say that it is purplish or purply.
purplish
adjective
similar to purple or slightly purple in colour
red
adjective
something that is red is the same colour as blood. If something is similar to this colour, you can say that it is a reddish colour
red
adjective
red wine is dark red or purple in colour
reddish
adjective
similar to red, or slightly red
rose
adjective
dark pink in colour
roseate
adjective
pink in colour
rose-coloured
adjective
pink in colour
rosy
adjective
pink in colour
royal blue
adjective
deep blue
ruby
adjective
something that is ruby is a deep red colour
ruddy
adjective
red in colour
russet
adjective
red-brown in colour
rusty
adjective
red-brown in colour
saffron
adjective
between bright yellow and orange in colour
sandy
adjective
pale yellow in colour
scarlet
adjective
bright red in colour
sea-green
adjective
green-blue in colour
sepia
adjective
something that is sepia is a red-brown colour
shocking pink
adjective
very bright pink in colour
silver
adjective
light grey in colour
silvery
adjective
like silver in colour or appearance
sky-blue
adjective
something that is sky-blue is the colour of the sky on a bright clear day
smoky
adjective
light grey in colour
snow-white
adjective
very white
snowy
adjective
very white
steely
adjective
steely blue is grey-blue in colour
straw-coloured
adjective
pale brown-yellow in colour
tan
adjective
light brown in colour
taupe
adjective
something that is taupe is a brown-grey colour
tawny
adjective
between yellow and brown in colour
teal
adjective
between blue and green in colour
terracotta
adjective
brown-red in colour
turquoise
adjective
bright green-blue in colour
ultramarine
adjective
very bright blue in colour
umber
adjective
yellow or reddish brown in colour
vermilion
adjective
bright red or red-orange in colour
violet
adjective
blue-purple in colour
white
adjective
something that is white is the same colour as milk or snow. If something is similar to this colour, you can say that it is a whitish colour
whitish
adjective
similar to white or slightly white in colour
wine
adjective
something that is wine is a dark red colour
yellow
adjective
something that is yellow is the same colour as the middle of an egg
yellowish
adjective
similar to yellow or slightly yellow in colour
yellowy
adjective
yellowish
