beige
[beyzh]
- very light brown, as of undyed wool; light gray with a brownish tinge.
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- of the color beige.
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Origin of beige
1855–60; < French; Old French bege, of uncertain origin
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
tan, cream, taupe, khaki, camel, off-white, fawn, mushroom, neutral, oatmeal, ecru, buff, biscuit, sandExamples from the Web for beige
Contemporary Examples
Before the race, he had entered the grandstands waving his beige Stetson in the air, as if already on a victory lap.
He removed her beige Roger Vivier pumps and white lab coat to reveal a denuded ballerina-pink slip dress.
Tilda Swinton and Oliver Saillard Perform the Creation of Fashion in ‘Eternity Dress’Sarah Moroz
November 21, 2013
In beige socks and black flip-flops, the man accused of bombing two U.S. embassies faced a judge in Manhattan.
Dressed entirely in beige, working the A-1 cash register, it was clear that Walt no longer wanted to be Heisenberg.
Latest ‘Breaking Bad’ Episode, ‘Ozymandias,’ Is Most Action-Packed YetAndrew Romano
September 16, 2013
Her beige niqab (a conservative Islamic headdress that shows only the eyes) was stained from hours of crying.
Historical Examples
Her peignoir of beige, embroidered with red silk, was evidently of Parisian manufacture.
The DownfallEmile Zola
In giving a brownish hue to such light colors as beige, ecru, etc., it is invaluable.
The Practical Ostrich Feather DyerAlexander Paul
She was daintily dressed in some sort of beige chiffon with pearls about her neck, and had easy, pleasant manners.
Diplomatic DaysEdith O'Shaughnessy
The riders converged on one of the straight cars, a beige mini-van, and crowded around it.
MakersCory Doctorow
Harry noticed she was wearing a beige knit suit with a neckline that spoke volumes.
The ObserversG. L. Vandenburg
beige
- a very light brown, sometimes with a yellowish tinge, similar to the colour of undyed wool
- (as adjective)beige gloves
- a fabric made of undyed or unbleached wool
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Word Origin
C19: from Old French, of obscure origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for beige
n.
1858, "fine woolen fabric," from dialectal French beige "yellowish-gray, brownish-gray," from Old French bege "the natural color of wool and cotton; raw, not dyed" (13c.), of obscure origin. "Das Wort lebt namentlich in der Bourgogne und Fr. Comté, daneben aber auch im Südwesten" [Gamillscheg]. As a shade of color, it is attested from 1879. As an adjective by 1879.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper