English Reference
adjective

colorful

adj.
US /ˈkəɫɝfəɫ/ col·or·ful UK spelling colourful

  1. 01 A1 Beginner American English

    having many different bright colors.

    possessing a variety of vivid or prominent colors.

    Simple

    The garden was full of colorful flowers like red roses and yellow tulips.

    In context

    The festival participants wore colorful traditional costumes that stood out against the grey stone of the old city square.

    vibrantmulticoloredbright
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate American English

    interesting, exciting, or full of variety.

    characterised by being interesting, multifaceted, or distinctive in nature.

    Simple

    My grandfather told us many colorful stories about his life as a sailor.

    In context

    The biography details the colorful career of the diplomat, who served in over a dozen countries during the height of the Cold War.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced American EnglishHumorous

    a polite way to say that someone is using swear words or rude language.

    used euphemistically to describe language that is profane, obscene, or otherwise offensive.

    Simple

    The coach used some colorful language when the referee made a bad decision.

    In context

    The editor had to remove some of the author's more colorful language to ensure the memoir was suitable for a general audience.

    Usage

    Almost always used in the phrase 'colorful language'.


From color + -ful.

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

This entry
Level A1 · Beginner
Frequency Frequent
Updated