# blonde

/ˈbɫɑnd/ (US) · /blˈɒnd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/blonde
Updated: 2026-05-01

## Senses

### 1. hair colour

adjective · CEFR A1

having pale yellow or gold hair.

For teachers: describing hair of a pale golden or yellowish colour.

- The little girl has long blonde hair that shines in the sun.
- The actress was required to dye her naturally dark hair a bright blonde for the period drama set in the 1950s.

### 2. a person

noun · CEFR A2

a person, usually a woman, who has pale yellow hair.

For teachers: a person with fair hair; the feminine form 'blonde' is significantly more common than the masculine 'blond' when used as a noun.

- The tall blonde in the blue dress is my sister.
- The casting director was specifically looking for a blonde to play the lead role in the upcoming romantic comedy.

### 3. stupid or naive

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal · Humorous

a rude way to say someone is acting stupid or slow to understand.

For teachers: used pejoratively to imply that a person, typically a woman, is unintelligent or naive.

- I had a total blonde moment and forgot where I parked my car.
- He made a dismissive joke about her having a blonde moment, which was met with stony silence from the rest of the team.

Usage: Often used in the phrase 'a blonde moment' to describe a temporary lapse in concentration.

Teaching tip: This sense relies on a negative stereotype and can be seen as offensive; learners should use it with caution.

### 4. studio lamp

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a powerful 2,000-watt light used in film and television.

For teachers: a 2,000-watt open-faced tungsten-halogen lamp used for floodlighting in studio environments.

- The crew set up a blonde to brighten the background of the scene.
- The cinematographer requested an additional blonde to provide a high-intensity fill light for the large interior set.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.