any of a group of colours that vary in saturation but have the same hue. They lie in the approximate wavelength range 585–575 nanometres. Yellow is the complementary colour of blue and with cyan and magenta forms a set of primary colours
▶ Related adjective: xanthous
2.
a pigment or dye of or producing these colours
3.
yellow cloth or clothing
dressed in yellow
4.
the yolk of an egg
5.
a yellow ball in snooker, etc
6.
any of a group of pieridine butterflies the males of which have yellow or yellowish wings, esp the clouded yellows (Colias spp.) and the brimstone
adjective
7.
of the colour yellow
8.
yellowish in colour or having parts or marks that are yellowish
yellow jasmine
9.
having a yellowish skin
10. informal
cowardly or afraid
11.
offensively sensational, as a cheap newspaper (esp in the phrase yellow press)
verb
12.
to make or become yellow
Derived forms
yellowish (ˈyellowish)
adjective
yellowishness (ˈyellowishness)
noun
yellowly (ˈyellowly)
adverb
yellowness (ˈyellowness)
noun
yellowy (ˈyellowy)
adjective
Word origin
Old English geolu; related to Old Saxon, Old High German gelo, Old Norse gulr, Latin helvus