yellow
- 01 A1 Beginner
n.the color of lemons, sunflowers, or the sun.
n.the color of light with a wavelength of approximately 580 nanometers; one of the three primary colors in subtractive systems.
Simple“She chose a bright yellow for the kitchen walls to make the room feel warmer.”
In context“The artist used a vibrant cadmium yellow to capture the intensity of the midday sun reflecting off the desert sands.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
n.a yellow card shown by a referee to warn a player.
n.a yellow card issued as a formal caution to a player for a foul or misconduct during a match.
Simple“The defender received a yellow for a late tackle in the first half.”
In context“After receiving an early yellow for dissent, the midfielder had to play more cautiously to avoid a second booking and a subsequent red card.”
- 03 A1 Beginner
adj.having the color of a lemon or gold.
adj.possessing a hue characterized by the color yellow.
Simple“He wore a yellow raincoat so he would be easy to see in the storm.”
In context“The autumn leaves turned a brilliant yellow before falling to the damp forest floor.”
Synonymslemon coloredgolden - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.not brave; easily scared.
adj.lacking courage or being easily intimidated; often used as a mild insult.
Simple“He was too yellow to stand up to the bully.”
In context“The antagonist mocked the hero, calling him yellow for refusing to participate in the dangerous duel.”
Antonyms - 05 C1 Advanced
adj.news that is shocking or exaggerated rather than being accurate.
adj.referring to journalism that relies on sensationalism and crude exaggeration to attract readers.
Simple“The magazine was famous for its yellow journalism and fake celebrity stories.”
In context“Historians often point to the yellow journalism of the late nineteenth century as a major factor in swaying public opinion toward war.”
UsageAlmost always used in the fixed phrase 'yellow journalism'.
- 06 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to turn yellow, especially because of age.
v.to become yellow or yellower over time, often due to oxidation or exposure to light.
Simple“The old newspapers had started to yellow and crumble at the edges.”
In context“The white silk of the wedding dress had yellowed significantly after sitting in the attic for over fifty years.”
Synonymsdiscolortarnish
Usage yellow card
From Middle English yelwe, yelou, from Old English ġeolwe, oblique form of Old English ġeolu, from Proto-West Germanic gelu, from Proto-Germanic gelwaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰelh₃wós, from ǵʰelh₃- (“gleam, yellow”). Cognate with Scots yella (“yellow”), North Frisian gööl, güül (“yellow”), Saterland Frisian jeel (“yellow”), West Frisian giel (“yellow”), Cimbrian gel, ghéel (“yellow”), Dutch geel (“yellow”), Dutch Low Saxon gael, gel (“yellow”), German gelb, gehl (“yellow”), German Low German gel, geel, gęl, gäl (“yellow”), Luxembourgish giel (“yellow”), Vilamovian gaoł (“yellow”), Yiddish געל (gel), געלב (gelb, “yellow”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Swedish gul (“yellow”), Faroese and Icelandic gulur (“yellow”). Compare also Welsh gell (“bay, tawny”), Latin helvus (“dull yellow”), Irish geal (“white, bright”), Italian giallo (“yellow”) Lithuanian žalias (“green”), Ancient Greek χλωρός (khlōrós, “light green”), Persian زرد (zard, “yellow”), Sanskrit हरि (hari, “greenish-yellow”), Russian жёлтый (žóltyj, “yellow”), Russian зелёный (zeljónyj, “green”). The verb is from Middle English yelwen, ȝalowen, ȝolewen, from Old English ġeolwian, from the adjective.
From the colors used on traffic lights; yellow being the one for warning vehicles to stop soon.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.