crayon

American  

[krey-on, -uhn] / ˈkreɪ ɒn, -ən /

noun

1. a pointed stick or pencil of colored clay, chalk, wax, etc., used for drawing or coloring.

2. a drawing in crayons.

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verb (used with object)

1. to draw or color with a crayon or crayons.

verb (used without object)

1. to make a drawing with crayons.

crayon British  

/ ˈkreɪən, -ɒn /

noun

1. a small stick or pencil of charcoal, wax, clay, or chalk mixed with coloured pigment

2. a drawing made with crayons

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verb

1. to draw or colour with crayons

Other Word Forms

• crayonist noun

Etymology

Origin of crayon

1635–45; < French, equivalent to craie chalk (< Latin crēta clay, chalk) + -on noun suffix

Example Sentences

As seen in the exhibition, his Conté crayon drawings from these months informed his paintings, which pointedly eschewed any hint of the picturesque and also of Impressionist painting.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

Meanwhile, the 2025 novel “Unfit” by Ariana Harwicz, about a mother losing her children in a custody battle, uses erratic crayon scribbles on its cover.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

As freshmen, the teenagers started a political crayon company to encourage voter turnout.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

The future Queen Elizabeth I was 12 years old at the time — long past the age in which a ghastly crayon drawing of dad would suffice.

From Salon • Dec. 23, 2024

She told him about her little brother and sister at home, who loved to crayon every piece of paper they could find, whether or not it already had type all over it.

From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli

Related Words

• pastel