three-color

[ three-kuhl-er ]

adjective

1. having or characterized by the use of three colors.
2. noting or pertaining to a photomechanical process for making reproductions of paintings, artwork, etc., usually by making three printing plates, each corresponding to a primary color, by the halftone process, and printing superimposed impressions from these plates in three correspondingly colored inks.

Word History and Origins

Origin of three-color¹

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

The three-color process aims to reproduce all colors in three printings, by using inks of red, yellow, and blue.

From Project Gutenberg

Chrome-Gelatine is a perfected modification of the three-color printing process.

From Project Gutenberg

The three-color stripes in the 16- lot were similarly difficult to match with the samples in the Dictionary.

From Project Gutenberg

The results, in all cases, are produced from three-color negatives.

From Project Gutenberg