20+ Common Color Names in English with their Definitions

In this lesson we will learn the most common color names in English. We will also look at how they are formed and their color characteristics. Let’s get started.

Color Names with Definitions

White

White is a graceful color. It can convey purity, cleanliness, and innocence. It is also associated with goodness and perfection. The meaning of color has a positive connotation.

Red

The color red has many definitions, but they all have one thing in common: aggressive emotions. For this reason it is associated with passion, violence and war. Thus this color is used in many national flags. It can be positively associated with love and hate, climate and physical energy

Blue

Some color names are not derived from English words. Blue is one of them. It first appeared during the Roman Empire, but its translation didn’t come until the XIV century. Its meaning of blue comes from a word that originally had to do with the clear sky. The color was associated with truth and faith because it resembled clarity

Green

This is one of the colors that have more connotations attributed to its name. It’s been associated with good luck, youth, spring, freshness and hope since ancient times. Green also has a negative definition: inexperience or immaturity . Many countries still use this color in their flags. One of them is Ireland which uses a green Celtic harp on a field of white and orange stripes.

Yellow

Yellow can be considered the least positive color in English language. It denotes cowardice and fear as well as sickness and betrayal. Thus it is associated with betrayal of trust or friendship.

Purple

The name for this color comes from the Latin word purpura, which had to do with a kind of sea snail that was used during Roman times as a source for making purple dye. The meaning of purple is power, wealth, and dignity. It can also be associated with impotence or sadness because it resembles dark shades.

Orange

This color had different names in English over time. At first it was mentioned as ġeolurēad, derived from Ancient Greek words jasmine and saffron, but today its name is taken from another fruit related to the same plant family – the orange. The meaning of orange varies around warmth or passion and the color of health.

Black

When we talk about black, we think about darkness and evil. It denotes mystery, fear and death as well as mourning, sadness and loss. This color is often associated with power and elegance when it’s combined with white or silver.

Brown

The meaning of brown is earthiness or wood. It has a solid connotation because it resembles nature in all its forms: living beings like trees and animals, but also inanimate objects like soil, stone and metal ores (silver, gold). Brown can be seen as negative in terms of race relations because it was used to describe people from Africa during colonial times. Like orange, this color had different names in English throughout history until it received its name in the XVIII century.

Gray

The color gray is a mixture of black and white. It symbolizes dullness, boredom and it denotes a gloomy, cold atmosphere. This color has evolved from different names over time such as grizzle (XVI century) or gris (seventeenth).

Yellow Green

The name of this color comes from the yellow and green vegetables that it resembles. It can be associated with safety or optimism, but also inexperience in some cases. Its name is relatively new since it was not introduced until the XIX century.

Black

Black is my favorite color. I think it is elegant, powerful and mysterious. You can use black with white or silver to create a minimalist look that will stand the test of time. Black clothes always look stylish on everyone!

White

White is associated with light, goodness and perfection. The meaning of color has a positive connotation. White has been used in many ancient civilizations as symbolic colour for deities. It was used during Roman times to paint houses of rich families who had died… because this color symbolized immortality.

Maroon

Maroon is a dark shade of red. It was derived from the French word marron, meaning chestnut. The color denotes warmth and energy because it resembles raw materials like wood or stone.

Green

This color symbolizes nature and freshness due to its association with plants and vegetation. It can also denote inexperience, for this reason it is used in education together with other colors like yellow or brown.

Orange

The English name for orange comes from the fruit that it resembles (the orange). This color was standardized during the XIX century after many others names were given throughout history such as tawney (XIV century) or ġeolurēad (tenth century).

Red

Red is a powerful, warm color. It represents excitement and energy. Red has been associated with many positive characteristics over time such as success and love, but also anger or danger depending on its intensity or shade.

Brown

This color denotes earthiness because it resembles nature in all its forms: the colors of trees, animals, soil, stone, metal ores (silver, gold), etc. Brown can make you look like an expert in any field. It is associated with seriousness and reliability, but also tradition because it is often used in festivities like weddings.

Blue

This color is linked to water and sky which means that it denotes the limitless or infinite according to its different shades. Light blue can represent peace, openness and serenity while dark blue can denote responsibility, trustworthiness and depth. Blue has been historically associated with religion due to its clear connection between heaven and earth.

Purple

This color denotes royalty or aristocracy because of its link with precious materials such as silk or velvet. It symbolizes power, luxury, and ambition depending on its shade – brighter purple comes with more energy than darker purple which represents elegance despite the bad reputation of this color during the middle ages.

Brown

This color denotes earthiness because it resembles nature in all its forms: the colors of trees, animals, soil, stone, metal ores (silver, gold), etc. Brown can make you look like an expert in any field. It is associated with seriousness and reliability, but also tradition because it is often used in festivities like weddings.

Blue

This color is linked to water and sky which means that it denotes the limitless or infinite according to its different shades. Light blue can represent peace, openness and serenity while dark blue can denote responsibility, trustworthiness and depth. Blue has been historically associated with religion due to its clear connection between heaven and earth.

Purple

This color denotes royalty or aristocracy because of its link with precious materials such as silk or velvet. It symbolizes power, luxury, and ambition depending on its shade – brighter purple comes with more energy than darker purple which represents elegance despite the bad reputation of this color during the middle ages.

Red

Red is a powerful, warm color. It represents excitement and energy. Red has been associated with many positive characteristics over time such as success and love, but also anger or danger depending on its intensity or shade.

Pink

This color denotes youth because it is linked to red (hot) and white (invisible breath). This is why sometimes pink can represent immaturity too… despite the fact that it is often used for girls’ rooms and toys.

Gold

This color denotes excellence and luxury due to its link with precious metals such as gold, silver or bronze. Gold symbolizes sophistication and splendor while yellow can come with more energy according to the shade or brightness.

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