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Where does the word "magenta" come from? It comes from Italian Magenta, and was adopted directly into English (1860s).
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Where does the word "magenta" come from? It comes from Italian Magenta, and was adopted directly into English (1860s).
Magenta’s story begins in Italian: Magenta meant “an Italian town name.” A town in Italy near the site of a battle, shortly after which the vivid dye was named. It reached English by 1860s as magenta. Named after the Battle of Magenta in 1859, the year the aniline dye was discovered. Today, magenta means a vivid purplish-red color.
- Stage 1 · Italian · 1859 Magenta "an Italian town name", a town in Italy near the site of a battle, shortly after which the vivid dye was named.
- Stage 2 · English · 1860s magenta "a vivid pinkish-red color", named after the Battle of Magenta in 1859, the year the aniline dye was discovered.