chromaticity

[kroh-muh-tis-i-tee]

noun

Optics.

1. the quality of a color as determined by its dominant wavelength and its purity.

chromaticity

/ ˌkrəʊməˈtɪsɪtɪ /

noun

1. the quality of a colour or light with reference to its purity and its dominant wavelength

Word History and Origins

Origin of chromaticity¹

First recorded in 1900–05; chromatic + -ity

Example Sentences

Printers are generally better than digital monitors or CRT's: but the fundamental problem is that the gamut of colours seen by the eye is roughly horseshoe shaped when plotted as a chromaticity diagram, whereas the convex combination of any number of pigments can only be a straight-sided approximation of a horseshoe shape.

From New York Times

Related Words

• glow 
• hue 
• intensity 
• paint