Etymology Map
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Color

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means the property of reflecting light of a particular wavelength

Where does the word "color" come from? It comes from Latin color, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
color
Latin · ancient
"colour, hue"
possibly related to 'celare', to hide: a covering
2
Stage 2 of 3
colour
Old French · medieval
"colour"
gave the British spelling 'colour'
3
Stage 3 of 3
color
English · 1200s
"hue"
Noah Webster's dictionary made 'color' standard in America
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Read the full story

Color’s story begins in Latin: color meant “colour, hue.” Possibly related to 'celare', to hide: a covering. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as colour. Gave the British spelling 'colour'. It reached English by 1200s as color. Noah Webster's dictionary made 'color' standard in America. Today, color means the property of reflecting light of a particular wavelength.