Word
coloration
Phoneticscol·oration
US/ˌkəɫɝˈeɪʃən/
UK/kˌʌləɹˈeɪʃən/
Definition
n. the natural colors and patterns on a plant or animal. It can also mean the special sound or character of a voice or musical instrument.
n. the natural appearance of a living organism in terms of color and pattern; also refers to the distinctive timbre or expressive quality of a musical performance or voice.
Examples
“The bird's bright coloration helps it attract a mate.”
“The researcher noted that the insect's dark coloration provided excellent camouflage against the forest floor.”
“The pianist's subtle coloration of the middle movement brought out a range of emotions that had been missing from previous interpretations of the sonata.”
Examples
simple
“The bird's bright coloration helps it attract a mate.”
contextual
“The researcher noted that the insect's dark coloration provided excellent camouflage against the forest floor.”
complex
“The pianist's subtle coloration of the middle movement brought out a range of emotions that had been missing from previous interpretations of the sonata.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the general property of color; countable when referring to specific patterns or musical variations.
Real-World Examples
Common in science writing
“She examined physical characteristics such as size and coloration and compared her observations with changes in the butterflies' elevational ranges over the past decade.” “Rather than coming from dyes, the color is created through structural coloration, a phenomenon in which microscopic structures interact with light to produce color.” Word family
Domains
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/coloration