English Reference

Word

blond

US/ˈbɫɑnd/

UK/blˈɒnd/

Definitions

01hair colour

A2

adj. having pale yellow or golden hair.

adj. describing hair of a pale golden or light yellowish hue.

“The little boy has bright blond hair that turns almost white in the summer.”

“The actor was required to maintain a natural blond look for the duration of the filming to match the historical descriptions of the character.”

Pitfall

She is a blond woman.

She is a blonde woman.

In traditional usage, 'blond' describes men and 'blonde' describes women, though 'blond' is becoming a gender-neutral standard in American English.

Synonyms

fair-hairedgolden-haired

Antonyms

brunettedark-haired

02a person

B1

n. a person who has pale yellow or golden hair.

n. an individual possessing hair of a light yellowish or golden colour.

“There were two blonds and one brunette in the photograph.”

“The casting director specifically looked for natural blonds to play the siblings in the upcoming family drama.”

Antonyms

03type of beer

B2

n. a type of beer that is light gold in colour.

n. a pale ale or lager characterized by its light golden hue and typically mild flavour profile.

“I would like a cold blond, please.”

“The brewery's flagship blond is known for its crisp finish and subtle citrus notes, making it a popular choice during the summer months.”

Synonyms

pale ale

Antonyms

04to dye hair

C2

v. to dye someone's hair a light yellow or golden colour.

v. to bleach or colour hair to achieve a pale golden or yellowish shade.

“She decided to blond her hair for the summer holidays.”

“The stylist used a gentle lifting agent to blond the client's naturally dark tresses without causing significant structural damage to the hair follicles.”

Technical

Usage

The verb is transitive and requires a direct object.

Synonyms

Antonyms

darken

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French blond m, from Old French blond, blont, blund, (> Medieval Latin blondus), from Frankish blund (“a mixed color between golden and light-brown”), from Proto-Germanic blundaz (“mixed, blinding”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰlendʰ- (“to become turbid, see badly, go blind”). Compare Old English blondenfeax (“grey-haired”), Old English blandan (“to mix”). More at blend. Alternative etymology connects Frankish blund to Proto-Germanic blundaz (“blond”), from Proto-Indo-European bʰl̥ndʰ-, bʰlendʰ- (“blond, red-haired”). If so, then it would be cognate with Sanskrit ब्रध्न (bradhná, “ruddy, pale red, yellowish”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
A2 · Elementary
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference