mauve

American  

[mohv] / moʊv /

noun

1. a pale bluish purple.

2. a purple dye obtained from aniline, discovered in 1856: the first of the coal-tar dyes.

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adjective

1. of the color of mauve.

   a mauve dress.

mauve British  

/ məʊv /

noun

1. 1. any of various pale to moderate pinkish-purple or bluish-purple colours

   2. ( as adjective )

      a mauve flower

2. Also called: Perkin's mauve.   mauveine.  a reddish-purple aniline dye

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Etymology

Origin of mauve

1855–60; < French: literally, mallow < Latin malva mallow

Explanation

Mauve is a pale, grayish-purple color. Despite how people often pronounce it, mauve should rhyme with “stove.” Mauve is a relative of purple, violet, or lilac. It shows up in sunsets, on colorful birds and flowers, and sometimes on bridesmaids’ dresses. Mauve is French for “mallow,” and was first used to describe a dye made from a mallow plant. Guess what color runs through the flowers of a mallow plant? That’s right — it’s mauve!

Example Sentences

Her lips are a neutral dusty mauve, her bass guitar a lustrous red.

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026

But some members of its staff, dressed in the restaurant’s black and mauve uniforms, are already ping-ponging through the space during a shift for their other high-profile side gig.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 2, 2025

Del Toro, 21, won the white jersey for best young rider, Denmark's Mads Pedersen claimed the mauve points classification jersey and Italy's Lorenzo Fortunato took the blue mountains classification jersey.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2025

Anyone over the age of 45 will likely remember the “it” colors of the 1980s — black and mauve.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 27, 2024

With these thrilling words he rushed away, and flinging open the door of the mauve salon, was about to enter, when he received...”

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott