colorist

American  

[kuhl-er-ist] / ˈkʌl ər ɪst /

noun

1. a person who uses color skillfully.

2. a painter who emphasizes color relationships in a work of art.

3. a person who colors photographs.

4. a hairdresser who is skilled in coloring or tinting hair.

5. a musical performer or composer who is skilled in bringing musical color.

---

Other Word Forms

• coloristic
  adjective
• coloristically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of colorist

1680–90; color + -ist; compare French coloriste

Example Sentences

Excelling more as a draftsman than a colorist, Lam created his most compelling paintings in near monochrome or with a limited palette.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 31, 2026

“I’ve seen more clients experiencing shedding and thinning over the past few years,” says Liz Jung, a Los Angeles-based hair colorist.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2025

“He was an extremely nuanced colorist in his abstractions — they were very mysterious paintings,” said the dealer David Zwirner, who owns several Kwiatek pieces.

From New York Times • Apr. 24, 2023

It hired five barbers and colorists, compared with the lone barber and colorist from 2017.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 14, 2023

A colorist Adams is not, nor is he a dramatist.

From The Invisible Censor by Hackett, Francis