teal

American  

[teel] / til /

noun

plural

teals,

plural

teal

1. any of several species of small dabbling ducks, of worldwide distribution, usually traveling in tight flocks and frequenting ponds and marshes.

2. Also called teal blue.  a medium to dark greenish blue.

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teal British  

/ tiːl /

noun

1. any of various small ducks, such as the Eurasian Anas crecca ( common teal ) that are related to the mallard and frequent ponds, lakes, and marshes

2. a greenish-blue colour

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Etymology

Origin of teal

1275–1325; Middle English tele; akin to Dutch taling, Middle Low German telink

Compare meaning

How does teal compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• teal vs. turquoise
• peacock blue vs. teal

Example Sentences

He’s designed a new line to appeal to Europeans, including oversize slippers that can be customized to look like a teal BMW or a red Ferrari.

From The Wall Street Journal

The tall teal pillars of the Ambassador Bridge linking Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, mark one of the busiest land borders in North America, symbolizing a profitable and once-dependable partnership.

From Salon

The show opens with a Warhol self-portrait from 1986—an imposing nearly 7-foot-tall image of the artist in teal, his spiked hair making him seem like another New York icon, Lady Liberty.

From The Wall Street Journal

He even knew her favorite color, which was teal.

From Literature

RFK had sweated through a teal t-shirt, which he had tucked into blue jeans.

From Salon

Related Words

• blue-green