dye

American  

[dahy] / daɪ /

noun

1. a coloring material or matter.

2. a liquid containing coloring matter, for imparting a particular hue to cloth, paper, etc.

3. color or hue, especially as produced by dyeing.

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verb (used with object)

dyed, dyeing

1. to color or stain; treat with a dye; color (cloth, hair, etc.) with a substance containing coloring matter.

   to dye a dress green.

2. to impart (color) by means of a dye.

   The coloring matter dyed green.

verb (used without object)

dyed, dyeing

1. to impart color, as a dye.

   This brand dyes well.

2. to become colored or absorb color when treated with a dye.

   This cloth dyes easily.

idioms

1. of the deepest / blackest dye, of the most extreme or the worst sort.

   a prevaricator of the blackest dye.

dye British  

/ daɪ /

noun

1. a staining or colouring substance, such as a natural or synthetic pigment

2. a liquid that contains a colouring material and can be used to stain fabrics, skins, etc

3. the colour or shade produced by dyeing

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verb

1. (tr) to impart a colour or stain to (something, such as fabric or hair) by or as if by the application of a dye

Other Word Forms

• dyable
  adjective
• dyeable
  adjective
• dyer
  noun
• redye
  verb (used with object)
• undyable
  adjective
• undyed
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of dye

before 1000; Middle English dien, Old English dēagian, derivative of dēag a dye

Explanation

Dye is a substance that's used to change the color of whatever it's applied to. You can use hair dye to change your light brown hair to deep, dark purple. Dye is used on fabrics, hair, yarn and other fibers, clothing, and food, among other things. When you apply dye to something, you dye it. If you're baking a birthday cake for your friend who loves the color orange, you might use food coloring — a type of dye — to dye the vanilla frosting orange. The Old English root of dye is deah, "a color or hue," which is possibly related to deagol, "secret, hidden, or dark."

Example Sentences

“They could have been apple-shaped before, and now it’s like their entire midsection is dramatically smaller than it ever was before,” said Harris, the owner of Renegade Bridal & Dye Lab in Houston.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 25, 2026

In the wake of the California Food Safety Act and growing pressure from food manufacturers, the FDA officially announced a ban on Red Dye No. 3 in food and drugs on January 15, 2025.

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2026

Cancer patient Nathaniel Dye - who worked on the bill with Leadbeater - said it would allow people a death which was "as kind and compassionate as possible".

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026

Dye had spent nearly 20 years working at Apple.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025

Dye my skin magenta and implant gems in it?

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

Related Words

• pigment
• stain
• tint