pastel
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a soft, light color like pale pink, light blue, or soft yellow.
n.a soft and subdued shade of a color, characterized by high luminance and low saturation.
Simple“The nursery was decorated in soft pastels like mint green and pale lemon.”
In context“The spring collection featured a palette of delicate pastels, contrasting sharply with the bold primary colors of the previous season.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a stick of colored powder held together with a special paste, used like a crayon for drawing.
n.an art medium in the form of a stick, consisting of pure powdered pigment and a binder.
Simple“She bought a new box of soft pastels to use in her art class.”
In context“Working with soft pastels requires a textured surface to ensure the pigment particles adhere properly to the paper.”
UsageOften used in the plural when referring to the set of tools.
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.a picture or drawing made using pastel sticks.
n.a drawing or painting executed using pastel sticks.
Simple“The museum has a beautiful 18th-century pastel of a young woman.”
In context“The gallery specialized in French pastels, showcasing the medium's unique ability to capture the velvet texture of skin and fabric.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
n.a traditional dish in some Latin American countries that looks like a small pie or pastry.
n.a traditional savory pastry or dish found in various Latin American and Caribbean cuisines, often filled with meat or vegetables.
Simple“We ate delicious chicken pastels at the street market in Brazil.”
In context“During the festival, vendors sold thousands of deep-fried pastels filled with cheese, minced meat, and hearts of palm.”
Synonymspastryempanada - 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.having a soft, pale, or light color.
adj.of a soft, pale, or light shade; having low saturation.
Simple“He wore a pastel blue shirt that matched his eyes.”
In context“The interior designer recommended pastel tones for the small bedroom to make the space feel more open and airy.”
Borrowed from French pastel, from Italian pastello (“pastel”), from Medieval Latin pastellum (“dough, paste”), from Latin pasta (“dough, paste”), ultimately from Ancient Greek πάστη (pástē, “dough, paste”). Doublet of pastegh, pastiglia, pastila, pastilla, and pastille.
Borrowed from Spanish pastel, ultimately the same word as Etymology 1.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.