WordofTheDay.US

yellow

/ˈjɛləʊ/ noun

In Latin: flāvus Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about yellow at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. The color of sunflower petals and lemons; the color obtained by mixing green and red light, or by subtracting blue from white light; the color evoked by light of wavelength around 580 nm; one of the three primary colors in subtractive color systems.
    yellow:
  2. The middle light in a set of three traffic lights, the lighting of which indicates that drivers should stop short of the intersection if it is safe to do so.
  3. One of the color balls used in snooker, with a value of 2 points.

adjective

  1. Of a yellow hue.
    He had a yellow laptop in his bag.
  2. Lacking courage.
  3. Characterized by sensationalism, lurid content, and doubtful accuracy.

verb

  1. To become yellow or yellower.
  2. To make (something) yellow or yellower.
  3. To promote (a captain) to flag rank without command of a squadron, ending his career; to make him a yellow admiral.

interjection

  1. Used to indicate that the speaker needs a temporary break from current sexual activity.

Origin

From Middle English yelwe, yelou, from Old English ġeolwe, oblique form of Old English ġeolu, from Proto-West Germanic *gelu, from Proto-Germanic *gelwaz, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰelh₃wós, from *ǵʰelh₃- (“green, yellow”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)