color temperature

American  

noun

Optics, Photography.

1. a temperature defined in terms of the temperature of a black body at which it emits light of a specified spectral distribution: used to specify the color of a light source.

---

Etymology

Origin of color temperature

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

But many LED bulbs are installed with a much higher color temperature, near 4,000 Kelvins, which our brains interpret as harsh and bright, regardless of how many lumens they’re actually emitting.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

Whether you use dim-to-warm lights or not, all of the fixtures in your kitchen should be a similar color temperature.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 8, 2024

“For best fall color, temperature and the amount of moisture are the main influences coupled with the duration and angle of sunlight,” Kyle Cotner, creator of theFoliageReport.com, wrote in an email.

From Washington Post • Oct. 7, 2022

The tone is measured by the color temperature of a lamp.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 20, 2022

In terms of features, the popular e-reader offers months-long battery life, support for adjustable color temperature, and USB-C charging, which allows you to fast charge the device when it does run out of juice.

From The Verge • Aug. 16, 2022