noun / verb
dye
DYE/dˈaɪ/
A substance used to change something’s color, or to color something with it.
Blue dye colors the immersed end of the cloth.
Etymology
The ancestor meant a color or hue. The modern noun names the coloring substance itself, connecting the visible result with the material used to produce it.
In context
beaker just lights up with this absolutely beautiful, brilliant purple liquid. He hadn't made quinine. Not even close. What he had just done was discover the world's very first synthetic dye.
More examples
- The dye stained his fingers.
- He chose a natural dye for the wool.
- They dyed the curtains a darker shade.
Forms
dye · dyes · dyed · dyeing
Similar words
- paint
- Usually coats a surface rather than coloring material through absorption.
- stain
- Often suggests unwanted coloring or a finish preserving visible grain.