three-color
Americanadjective
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having or characterized by the use of three colors.
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noting or pertaining to a photomechanical process for making reproductions of paintings, artwork, etc., usually by making three printing plates, each corresponding to a primary color, by the halftone process, and printing superimposed impressions from these plates in three correspondingly colored inks.
Etymology
Origin of three-color
First recorded in 1890–95
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They mulled launching a three-color mix, with red, orange and yellow M&M’s, but the sunset vibes were too strong.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
During karaoke, someone would deliver a Kings’ Hawaiian three-color pastel Paradise cake.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 14, 2025
This method works best for carving shaded or three-color patterns.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 17, 2022
The impression it leaves on my mind is a bold, three-color nightmare: the black of night and trees, the white of snow and teeth, and the red of — well, you’ll see.
From New York Times ● Oct. 1, 2022
The three-color process aims to reproduce all colors in three printings, by using inks of red, yellow, and blue.
From The Building of a Book A Series of Practical Articles Written by Experts in the Various Departments of Book Making and Distributing by Hitchcock, Frederick H.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
