noun / verb
pigment
PIG-munt/ˈpɪɡmənt/
A substance that gives color, or to color with such a substance.
The brush picks up vivid blue pigment from the powder.
Etymology
Pigment names the material used to impart color, from the same Latin verb that underlies paint. English first used it for a red dye before broadening it to coloring substances generally.
In context
because of their rich color and compatibility with lime plaster, a common material used in Greek and Roman frescos. However, there was a challenge. Exposure to light could darken the pigment over time.
More examples
- The pigment gave the paint its intense color.
- The manufacturer pigments the plastic before molding it.
- Sunlight faded the exposed pigment.
Forms
pigment · pigments · pigmented · pigmenting
Similar words
- dye
- A dye usually dissolves in its application medium; a pigment remains as fine coloring particles.
- colorant
- Colorant is the broader term for a substance used to give color.