ecru
Americanadjective
noun
noun
adjective
Etymology
Origin of ecru
1865–70; < French, equivalent to é- completely (< Latin ex- ex- 1 ) + cru raw (< Latin crūdus; see crude)
Explanation
If something is ecru, it's the beige color of sand. If you're looking for a neutral shade to paint your bedroom, you might try ecru. In French, écru means "raw or unbleached," from the Latin root crudus, "raw." The word was originally used to describe the color of unbleached linen, a very pale off-white, but over time ecru has come to mean a slightly darker beige shade, like a cup of milky tea, or even more of a gray-tinged brown or yellow. In general, if beige sounds boring, you can go with the more elegant word ecru.
Vocabulary lists containing ecru
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the States she would have been called a brunette; but she was better than a brunette—I should say she was what you might term an écru shade.
From Rolling Stones by Henry, O.
According to the purpose for which the work is intended, and the color of the net selected, the darning may be done in cotton, linen or silk, and in white, black, écru or colors.
From The Art of Modern Lace Making by The Butterick Publishing Co.
Shows a large, bold pattern, cable edged, and is almost invariably in a deep écru tone.
From Textiles For Commercial, Industrial, and Domestic Arts Schools; Also Adapted to Those Engaged in Wholesale and Retail Dry Goods, Wool, Cotton, and Dressmaker's Trades by Dooley, William H. (William Henry)
White, black, écru or colored net may be used.
From The Art of Modern Lace Making by The Butterick Publishing Co.
"Of course, of course!" said the colonel, although, as a matter of fact, he did not know Spanish point from common écru.
From The Thin Red Line; and Blue Blood by Griffiths, Arthur
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
