Color Definition, Prefix, Suffix, Ologies and Isms, Color Information and Meaning


achromaticity
1. the total absence of color.
2. the ability to emit, reflect, or transmit light without breaking down into separate colors. Also achromatism.
achromatopsy, achromatopsia
color blindness. Also called acritochromacy.
acyanoblepsia
a variety of color blindness characterized by an inability to distinguish blue.
albescence
the condition of being or becoming white or whitish. —albescent, adj.
albication
the process of turning white or whitish.
chatoyancy
the condition or quality of changing in color or luster depending on the angle of light, exhibited especially by a gemstone that reflects a single shaft of light when cut in cabochon form. —chatoyant, adj.
chromatics
the branch of opties that studies the properties of colors.
chromatism
1. Opties, dispersion or distortion of color.
2. abnormal coloration. See also BOTANY.
chromatology
the study of colors. Also called chromatography.
chromatrope
an instrument consisting of an arrangement of colored dises which, when rotated rapidly, give the impression of colors flowing to or from the center.
chromophobia
an abnormal fear of colors.
chromoptometer
a device for measuring the degree of a person’s sense of color.
chromotypography, chromotypy
the process of color printing.
colorimetry
the measurement of the physical intensity of colors, as opposed to their subjective brightness. —colorimeter, n. —colorimetric, colorimetrical, adj.
cyanometry
the measurement of the intensity of the sky’s blue color. —cyanometer, n. —cyanometric, adj.
Daltonism
red-green color blindness.
deuteranopia
a defect of the eyesight in which the retina does not respond to green. —deuteranope, n. —deuteranopic, adj.
dichroism
a property, peculiar to certain crystals, of reflecting light in two different colors when viewed from two different directions. —dichroic, adj.
dichromatism
1. the quality of being dichromatic, or having two colors.
2. a form of color blindness in which the sufferer can perceive only two of the three primary colors and their variants. —dichromatic, adj.
dyschromatopsia
difficulty in telling colors apart; color blindness.
erythrophobia
an abnormal fear of the color red.
floridity
the condition of being florid or highly colored, especially reddish, used especially of the complexion. —florid, adj.
glaucescence
1. the state or quality of being a silvery or bluish green in color.
2. the process of turning this color. —glaucescent, adj.
hyperchromatism
the occurrence of unusually intense coloration. —hyperchromatic, adj.
indigometer
an instrument used for determining the strength of an indigo solution.
indigometry
the practice and art of determining the strength and coloring power of an indigo solution.
iridescence
the state or condition of being colored like a rainbow or like the light shining through a prism. —iridescent, adj.
irisation
the process of making or becoming iridescent.
iriscope
a polished black glass, the surface of which becomes iridescent when it is breathed upon through a tube.
melanoscope
an optical device composed of red and violet glass that transmits red light only, used for distinguishing red in varicolored flames.
metachromatism
change in color, especially as a result of change in temperature.
monochromatism
1. the quality of being of only one color or in only one color, as a work of art.
2. a defect of eyesight in which the retina cannot perceive color. —monochromatic, adj.
mordancy, mordacity
the property of acting as a flxative in dyeing. — mordant, n., adj.
opalescence
the quality of being opallike, or milkily iridescent. —opalescent, adj.
pallidity
a faintness or deficiency in color. —pallid, adj.
panchromatism
the quality or condition of being lsensitive to all colors, as certain types of photographic film. —panchromatic, adj.
polychromatism
the state or quality of being multicolored. —polychromatic, polychromie, adj.
protanopia
a defect of the eyesight in which the retina does not respond to red. —protanope, n. —protanopic, adj.
rubescence
1. the state, condition, quality, or process of becoming or being red.
2. a blush.
3. the act of blushing. —rubescent, adj.
rufescence
1. the tendency to turn red or reddish.
2. reddishness. —rufescent, adj.
spectrogram
a photograph of a spectrum. Also called spectrograph.
spectrograph
1. an optical device for breaking light down into a spectrum and recording the results photographically.
2. a spectrogram. —spectrographic, adj.
spectrography
the technique of using a spectrograph and producing spectrograms.
trichroism
a property, peculiar to certain crystals, of transmitting light of three different colors when viewed from three different directions. Also trichromatism. —trichroic, adj.
trichromatism
1. the condition of having, using, or combining three colors.
2. trichroism. —trichromatic, adj.
tritanopia
a defect of the eyesight in which the retina does not respond to blue and yellow. —tritanope, n. —tritanopic, adj.
verdancy
the quality or condition of being green, as the condition of being covered with green plants or grass or inexperience attributable to youth. —verdant, adj.
viridescence
1. the state or quality of being green or greenish.
2. greenishness. —viridescent, adj.
xanthocyanopsy, xanthocyanopy
a form of color blindness in which only yellow and blue can be perceived.