cyan

Where does the word "cyan" come from? It comes from Greek kyanos, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).

Cyan’s story begins in Greek: kyanos meant “dark blue enamel.” Dark blue enamel, or lapis lazuli. It reached English by 1600s as cyan. Settled as the English word for the greenish-blue color. Today, cyan means a greenish-blue color, used as one of the primary printing colors.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient kyanos "dark blue enamel", dark blue enamel, or lapis lazuli.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1600s cyan "a greenish-blue color", settled as the English word for the greenish-blue color.