Ask Difference

Blue vs. Violet — What's the Difference?

Blue vs. Violet — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Blue and Violet

ADVERTISEMENT

Compare with Definitions

Blue

Blue is one of the three primary colours of pigments in painting and traditional colour theory, as well as in the RGB colour model. It lies between violet and green on the spectrum of visible light.

Violet

Any of various low-growing herbs of the genus Viola, having short-spurred, irregular flowers that are characteristically purplish-blue but sometimes yellow or white.

Blue

The hue of that portion of the visible spectrum lying between green and indigo, evoked in the human observer by radiant energy with wavelengths of approximately 420 to 490 nanometers; any of a group of colors that may vary in lightness and saturation, whose hue is that of a clear daytime sky; one of the additive or light primaries; one of the psychological primary hues.

Violet

Any of several similar plants, such as an African violet.

Blue

A pigment or dye imparting this hue.
ADVERTISEMENT

Violet

The hue at the short-wavelength end of the visible spectrum, evoked in the human observer by radiant energy with wavelengths of approximately 380 to 420 nanometers; any of a group of colors, reddish-blue in hue, that may vary in lightness and saturation.

Blue

Bluing.

Violet

A plant or flower of the genus Viola, especially the fragrant Viola odorata; (inexact) similar-looking plants and flowers.

Blue

An object having this hue.

Violet

(figurative) A person thought to resemble V. odorata, especially in its beauty and delicacy.

Blue

Dress or clothing of this hue
The ushers wore blue.

Violet

A bluish-purple colour resembling that of most V. odorata.

Blue

A person who wears a blue uniform.

Violet

Clothes and (ecclesiastical) vestments of such a colour.

Blue

Blues A dress blue uniform, especially that of the US Army.

Violet

(perfumes) The characteristic scent of V. odorata.

Blue

A member of the Union Army in the Civil War.

Violet

Syn of onion.

Blue

The Union Army.

Violet

Having a bluish-purple colour.

Blue

A bluefish.

Violet

Any plant or flower of the genus Viola, of many species. The violets are generally low, herbaceous plants, and the flowers of many of the species are blue, while others are white or yellow, or of several colors, as the pansy (Viola tricolor).

Blue

Any of various small blue butterflies of the subfamily Polyommatinae.

Violet

The color of a violet, or that part of the spectrum farthest from red. It is the most refrangible part of the spectrum.

Blue

The sky.

Violet

In art, a color produced by a combination of red and blue in equal proportions; a bluish purple color.

Blue

The sea.

Violet

Any one of numerous species of small violet-colored butterflies belonging to Lycæna, or Rusticus, and allied genera.

Blue

Of the color blue.

Violet

Dark blue, inclining to red; bluish purple; having a color produced by red and blue combined.

Blue

Bluish or having parts that are blue or bluish, as the blue spruce and the blue whale.

Violet

Any of numerous low-growing small-flowered violas

Blue

Having a gray or purplish color, as from cold or contusion.

Violet

A variable color that lies beyond blue in the spectrum

Blue

Wearing blue.

Violet

Of a color midway between red and blue

Blue

Being a trail, as for skiing, marked with a sign having a blue square, indicating an intermediate level of difficulty.

Blue

Relating to or being a blue state.

Blue

Gloomy; depressed.

Blue

Dismal; dreary
A blue day.

Blue

Puritanical; strict.

Blue

Aristocratic; patrician.

Blue

Indecent; risqué
A blue joke.
A blue movie.

Blue

To make or become blue.

Blue

Having blue as its color.
The deep blue sea

Blue

(informal) Depressed, melancholic, sad.

Blue

(health care) Having a bluish or purplish shade of the skin due to a lack of oxygen to the normally deep red blood cells.
The divers got them out of the car just in time – they were starting to turn blue.

Blue

Pale, without redness or glare; said of a flame.
The candle burns blue.

Blue

(politics) Supportive of, run by (a member of), pertaining to, or dominated by a political party represented by the colour blue.

Blue

Supportive of, run by (a member of), pertaining to, or dominated by the Democratic Party.
I live in a blue constituency.
Congress turned blue in the mid-term elections.

Blue

Supportive of or related to the Liberal Party.
Illawarra turns blue in Liberal washout

Blue

(UK politics) Supportive of or related to the Conservative Party.

Blue

(astronomy) Of the higher-frequency region of the part of the electromagnetic spectrum which is relevant in the specific observation.

Blue

(of steak) Extra rare; left very raw and cold.

Blue

(of a dog or cat) Having a coat of fur of a slaty gray shade.

Blue

(archaic) Severe or overly strict in morals; gloomy.
Blue and sour religionists;
Blue laws

Blue

Literary; bluestockinged.

Blue

(particle physics) Having a color charge of blue.

Blue

(informal) Risqué; obscene; profane; pornographic.
His material is too blue for prime-time
The air was blue with oaths.
A blue movie

Blue

The colour of the clear sky or the deep sea, between green and purple in the visible spectrum, and one of the primary additive colours for transmitted light; the colour obtained by subtracting red and green from white light using magenta and cyan filters; or any colour resembling this.

Blue

Anything coloured blue, especially to distinguish it from similar objects differing only in color.
I don't like red Smarties. Have you got a blue?

Blue

A blue dye or pigment.

Blue

Blue clothing.
The boys in blue marched to the pipers.

Blue

(in the plural) A blue uniform. See blues.

Blue

A member of a sports team that wears blue colours; (in the plural) a nickname for the team as a whole. See also blues.
Come on you blues!

Blue

An umpire, in reference to the typical dark blue color of the umpire's uniform. Sometimes perceived by umpires as derogatory when used by players or coaches while disputing a call.
He was safe! Terrible call, blue!

Blue

Sporting colours awarded by a university or other institution for sporting achievement, such as representing one's university, especially and originally at Oxford and Cambridge Universities in England. See also full blue, half blue.
He excelled at rowing and received a blue in the sport at Oxford.

Blue

A person who has received such sporting colours.
He was a blue in rugby at Cambridge.

Blue

(slang) A member of law enforcement.

Blue

A bluestocking.

Blue

The sky, literally or figuratively.
The balloon floated up into the blue.
His request for leave came out of the blue.

Blue

The ocean; deep waters.

Blue

The far distance; a remote or distant place.

Blue

A dog or cat with a slaty gray coat.

Blue

(snooker) One of the colour balls used in snooker, with a value of five points.

Blue

(entomology) Any of the butterflies of the subfamily Polyommatinae in the family Lycaenidae, most of which have blue on their wings.

Blue

A bluefish.

Blue

An argument.

Blue

A liquid with an intense blue colour, added to a laundry wash to prevent yellowing of white clothes.

Blue

Any of several processes to protect metal against rust.

Blue

(British) A type of firecracker.

Blue

(particle physics) One of the three color charges for quarks.

Blue

(UK) A member or supporter of the Conservative Party.
He is a true blue.

Blue

(ergative) To make or become blue; to turn blue.

Blue

To treat the surface of steel so that it is passivated chemically and becomes more resistant to rust.

Blue

To brighten by treating with blue (laundry aid).

Blue

To fight, brawl, or argue.

Blue

To spend (money) extravagantly; to blow.

Blue

Having the color of the clear sky, or a hue resembling it, whether lighter or darker; as, the deep, blue sea; as blue as a sapphire; blue violets.

Blue

Pale, without redness or glare, - said of a flame; hence, of the color of burning brimstone, betokening the presence of ghosts or devils; as, the candle burns blue; the air was blue with oaths.

Blue

Low in spirits; melancholy; as, to feel blue.

Blue

Suited to produce low spirits; gloomy in prospect; as, thongs looked blue.

Blue

Severe or over strict in morals; gloom; as, blue and sour religionists; suiting one who is over strict in morals; inculcating an impracticable, severe, or gloomy mortality; as, blue laws.

Blue

Literary; - applied to women; - an abbreviation of bluestocking.
The ladies were very blue and well informed.
For his religion . . . 'T was Presbyterian, true blue.

Blue

One of the seven colors into which the rays of light divide themselves, when refracted through a glass prism; the color of the clear sky, or a color resembling that, whether lighter or darker; a pigment having such color.

Blue

A pedantic woman; a bluestocking.

Blue

Low spirits; a fit of despondency; melancholy.

Blue

To make blue; to dye of a blue color; to make blue by heating, as metals, etc.

Blue

The color of the clear sky in the daytime;
He had eyes of bright blue

Blue

Blue clothing;
She was wearing blue

Blue

Any organization or party whose uniforms or badges are blue;
The Union army was a vast blue

Blue

The sky as viewed during daylight;
He shot an arrow into the blue

Blue

Used to whiten laundry or hair or give it a bluish tinge

Blue

The sodium salt of amobarbital that is used as a barbiturate; used as a sedative and a hypnotic

Blue

Any of numerous small chiefly blue butterflies of the family Lycaenidae

Blue

Turn blue

Blue

Having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky;
October's bright blue weather
A blue flame
Blue haze of tobacco smoke

Blue

Used to signify the Union forces in the Civil War (who wore blue uniforms);
A ragged blue line

Blue

Low in spirits;
Lonely and blue in a strange city
Depressed by the loss of his job
A dispirited and resigned expression on her face
Downcast after his defeat
Feeling discouraged and downhearted

Blue

Characterized by profanity or cursing;
Foul-mouthed and blasphemous
Blue language
Profane words

Blue

Suggestive of sexual impropriety;
A blue movie
Blue jokes
He skips asterisks and gives you the gamy details
A juicy scandal
A naughty wink
Naughty words
Racy anecdotes
A risque story
Spicy gossip

Blue

Belonging to or characteristic of the nobility or aristocracy;
An aristocratic family
Aristocratic Bostonians
Aristocratic government
A blue family
Blue blood
The blue-blooded aristocracy
Of gentle blood
Patrician landholders of the American South
Aristocratic bearing
Aristocratic features
Patrician tastes

Blue

Morally rigorous and strict;
Blue laws
The puritan work ethic
Puritanic distaste for alcohol
She was anything but puritanical in her behavior

Blue

Causing dejection;
A blue day
The dark days of the war
A week of rainy depressing weather
A disconsolate winter landscape
The first dismal dispiriting days of November
A dark gloomy day
Grim rainy weather

Share Your Discovery

Share via Social Media
Embed This Content
Embed Code
Share Directly via Messenger
Link
Previous Comparison
Lavender vs. Mauve
Next Comparison
Pastor vs. Father

Popular Comparisons

Trending Comparisons

New Comparisons

Trending Terms