coloring
AmericanUsage
Spelling tips for coloring The word coloring is hard to spell for two reasons. First, it can be tempting to use a double l or double r. Second, in British English, the word is spelled with a u (colouring), unlike in American English. How to spell coloring: When it comes to color, keep it simple. Too much color, and too many letters, is distracting. You don't need any extra letters, like a double l, double r, or u. Then, you add the suffix -ing to the base word color to form coloring.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of coloring
late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at color, -ing 1
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.
Imagine squeezing a drop of food coloring into flowing water.
From Science Daily • May 14, 2026
Their vivid blue coloring is a result of the microscopic scales on the backs of their wings, which reflect light.
From BBC • May 8, 2026
The image invokes a children’s coloring book with darker undertones, blending various cartoon and drawing styles to depict Adam and Eve in paradise.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026
That said, the weakness in software stocks appears to be coloring Wall Street analysts’ forecasts.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 4, 2026
Her cousins’ coloring was too vivid—virtually fluorescent!—to be concealed.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
