English Reference

Word

dun

US/ˈdən/

UK/dˈʌn/

Definition

adj. a dull, greyish-brown colour. You use this to describe things that look a bit dusty or plain, like a horse's coat or a cloudy sky.

adj. of a dull, brownish-grey colour. Often used in descriptive or literary contexts to characterise the appearance of animals or landscapes.

Examples

“The horse has a beautiful dun coat.”

“The hills looked dun and lifeless under the heavy winter clouds.”

“The artist used a palette of dun and ochre to capture the somber atmosphere of the moorland during the twilight hours.”

Examples

simple

“The horse has a beautiful dun coat.”

contextual

“The hills looked dun and lifeless under the heavy winter clouds.”

complex

“The artist used a palette of dun and ochre to capture the somber atmosphere of the moorland during the twilight hours.”

Usage

Typically used as an attributive adjective before a noun.

Domains

ArchaeologyFishing

This entry

Level
C2 · Proficiency
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference