hue
noun
a gradation or variety of a color; tint.
hue
1 American
[hyoo, yoo]
/ hju, ju /
noun
-
a gradation or variety of a color; tint.
pale hues.
-
the property of light by which the color of an object is classified as red, blue, green, or yellow in reference to the spectrum.
-
color.
all the hues of the rainbow.
-
form or appearance.
hue
2
American
[hyoo]
/ hju /
noun
Hué
3
American
[hway]
/ ʰweɪ /
noun
Hué
1
British
/ ɥe /
noun
hue
2
British
/ hjuː /
noun
-
the attribute of colour that enables an observer to classify it as red, green, blue, purple, etc, and excludes white, black, and shades of grey See also colour
-
a shade of a colour
-
aspect; complexion
a different hue on matters
hue
Scientific
/ hyo̅o̅ /
-
The property of colors by which they are seen as ranging from red through orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, as determined by the dominant wavelength of the light.
-
Compare saturation value
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hue1
First recorded before 900; Middle English hewe, Old English hīw “appearance, color, form”; cognate with Old Norse hȳ “bird's down,” Swedish hy “complexion, skin,” Gothic hiwi “appearance, form”; akin to Old English hār “gray” ( see hoar)
Origin of hue2
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English hu(e), from Middle French: “a hoot, outcry” (whence huer “to hoot, cry out”)
Explanation
Green, orange, yellow, and blue — each of these is a hue, a color or a shade that's true. A rainbow shows the melting of one hue into another, from red to violet, and all shades in between. The noun hue means both a color and a shade of a color. Green is a hue, and turquoise is a hue of both green and blue. Most of the time the word hue refers to colors, but sometimes it's used for shades of meaning or even the tone of a person's face, as in "The speech had a hue of politics — disguised with humor — that turned the mayor's face from a pale hue to red as he laughed."
Vocabulary lists containing hue
Unit 1: Telling Details
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Essential Three-Letter Words, Part 1
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Bud, Not Buddy
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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.
See Examples For:
“It skews a bit younger,” Neri added, noting that its hot pink color encourages social media posting as much as Aperol’s orange hue.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
The corona took on an unusually rich golden hue.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026
“Every detail, from the custom Vintage Rose hue to the hand-draped silk chiffon, delicate lacework and sculpted corsetry, was created to reflect her effortless spirit while celebrating the artistry of couture.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
Echoing that signature yellow hue: a walnut island, a hammered barrel-vaulted copper hood, a copper farmhouse sink and replicated 1920s cabinetry painted “Matchstick” by Farrow & Ball.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
I memorized the Gothic style of the writing the hue of the ink, traced the stamp, and made note of the terms used.
From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys
Army surgeon with a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital unit near Hué, encountered an iconic photo that came to symbolize the futility and brutality of the Vietnam War in 1968.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 1, 2023
“The Battle of Hué would be the bloodiest of the Vietnam War, and a turning point not just in that conflict, but in American history.”
From Washington Post ● Jan. 1, 2023
When the government refused to let the Buddhists in Hué fly the Buddhist flag on Gautama's birthday, Tri Quang led a demonstration to the radio station.
From Time Magazine Archive
For the decade that followed, Diem steered clear of politics, mostly read and studied at his home in Hué.
From Time Magazine Archive
But so long as the kingdom of Champa existed, Indian culture and Hinduism maintained themselves at least as far north as Hué.
From Hinduism and Buddhism, An Historical Sketch, Vol. 1 by Sir Charles Eliot
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
