coloring

[kuhl-er-ing]

noun

1. the act or method of applying color.

2. appearance as to color.

   healthy coloring.

3. a substance used to color something.

   food coloring made from vegetable dyes.

4. aspect or tone.

   The ethical coloring of the story balanced the rawness of its language.

5. specious appearance; show.

Other Word Forms

• noncoloring adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of coloring¹

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; color, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Long, frustrating job searches and headlines about large-scale corporate layoffs are coloring views of a labor market far harder to navigate than it was a couple years ago.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Growers use blackout curtains to trick the plants into coloring earlier in the fall, but Kobayashi said they have to be scrupulous about keeping the greenhouses completely dark.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Beowulf’s picture was far more elaborate than those of his siblings, and it did need a bit more work coloring in the background, but the gist of it was on full, frightening view.

Read more on Literature

Akin to impressionistic paintings, the animation here decidedly lacks intricate designs and opts for flat hues coloring figures without visible outlines.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

That coloring, distinct from more typical black-and-white, lends every frame a rich, unsettling appearance.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• complexion 
• shading 

When To Use

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.