English Reference
Noun

watercolor

n. C / U
B1 Intermediate US /ˈwɔtɝˌkəɫɝ/ wa·ter·col·or UK spelling watercolors, watercolour Art

n.a type of paint that you mix with water to use. It is also the name for a picture painted with this style of paint.

n.a pigment used with water as a medium to create paintings; also refers to a work of art produced using this method.


SIMPLE

She is learning how to paint a sunset with watercolor.

CONTEXTUAL

The artist chose watercolor for the landscape because the transparent colors captured the morning mist perfectly.

COMPLEX

While oil paints offer rich texture, watercolor allows for a delicate layering of washes that can evoke a sense of light and atmosphere difficult to achieve with heavier media.

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the medium or paint itself; countable when referring to individual paintings.


From water + color.

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

This entry
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated