off-white

American  

[awf-hwahyt, -wahyt, of-] / ˈɔfˈʰwaɪt, -ˈwaɪt, ˈɒf- /

adjective

1. white mixed with a small amount of gray, yellow, or other light color.

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noun

1. an off-white color.

off-white British  

noun

1. a colour, such as cream or bone, consisting of white mixed with a tinge of grey or with a pale hue

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adjective

1. of such a colour

   an off-white coat

Etymology

Origin of off-white

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

It’s a musical about a white man who rips off white people and then runs away.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 9, 2021

White privilege walls off white people from the realities of racism and white supremacy.

From Salon • Feb. 3, 2020

The former Zimbabwean leader was an ex-guerrilla chief who took power when the African country shook off white minority rule and presided for decades while economic turmoil and human rights violations eroded its early promise.

From Washington Times • Dec. 16, 2019

Some had their jackets off, white dress shirts and suit trousers with ties, and held pints of beer as they pondered where the City’s jobs might move.

From New York Times • Jun. 26, 2016

With head on one side, birds look critically down from boughs, nor think of flight; hares, taught by impunity, instead of making off, white scut in air, groom nose with paw, undaunted.

From The Curse of Koshiu A Chronicle of Old Japan by Wingfield, Lewis

Related Words

• camel
• cream
• khaki
• tan
• taupe