Yellow Definition and Meaning
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Urooj Arif — Updated on March 5, 2024
Yellow is a bright color that is the same as that of a lemon or sun, often associated with happiness or caution. e.g., The yellow flowers brightened up the entire garden.
Table of Contents
Yellow Definitions
Sign of Caution: Used in traffic lights and signs to indicate caution.
The yellow light means slow down or prepare to stop.
Indication of Illness: Can signify illness, as in jaundice.
His yellow skin was a sign of liver issues.
Aging or Decay: Papers and leaves turn yellow as they age or decay.
The pages of the old book had turned yellow.
Symbol of Happiness: Often represents sunshine, happiness, and warmth.
The yellow room seemed to radiate joy.
Culinary Uses: Describes certain foods, like bananas and lemons.
He added a squeeze of yellow lemon for flavor.
Primary Color: One of the three primary colors in the RGB color model.
Yellow, when mixed with blue, creates green.
Cowardice: Informally, can imply cowardice or fear.
Being called yellow made him prove his bravery.
Bright Shade: A bright and vibrant shade, noticeable from a distance.
She wore a yellow dress that stood out in the crowd.
Natural Phenomena: The color of many natural phenomena like the sun and autumn leaves.
The yellow autumn leaves carpeted the ground.
Cultural Significance: In some cultures, yellow symbolizes royalty or sacredness.
In the ceremony, yellow represented the divine.
The hue of that portion of the visible spectrum lying between orange and green, evoked in the human observer by radiant energy with wavelengths of approximately 570 to 590 nanometers; any of a group of colors of a hue resembling that of ripe lemons and varying in lightness and saturation; one of the subtractive primaries; one of the psychological primary hues.
A pigment or dye having this hue.
Something that has this hue.
Chiefly Southern US The yolk of an egg.
Western US Gold. Used formerly by prospectors.
Yellows Any of various plant diseases characterized by yellow or yellowish discoloration of the leaves and caused by phytoplasmas that are transmitted by insects or by certain viruses.
Of the color yellow.
Having a yellow-brown skin color.
(Offensive) Of or being a person of Asian origin.
(Slang) Cowardly.
To make or become yellow
Documents that had been yellowed by age.
Clouds that yellow in the evening light.
Having yellow as its color.
(informal) Lacking courage.
Characterized by sensationalism, lurid content, and doubtful accuracy.
Of the skin, having the colour traditionally attributed to Far East Asians, especially Chinese.
Far East Asian relating to Asian people.
Of mixed Aboriginal and Caucasian ancestry.
Synonym of high yellow
(UK politics) Related to the Liberal Democrats.
Yellow constituencies
(politics) Related to the Free Democratic Party; a political party in Germany.
The black-yellow coalition
The colour of gold, cheese, or a lemon; the colour obtained by mixing green and red light, or by subtracting blue from white light.
(US) The intermediate light in a set of three traffic lights, the illumination of which indicates that drivers should stop short of the intersection if it is safe to do so.
(snooker) One of the colour balls used in snooker, with a value of 2 points.
(pocket billiards) One of two groups of object balls, or a ball from that group, as used in the principally British version of pool that makes use of unnumbered balls (the (yellow(s) and red(s)); contrast stripes and solids in the originally American version with numbered balls).
(sports) A yellow card.
Any of various pierid butterflies of the subfamily Coliadinae, especially the yellow coloured species. Compare sulphur.
(intransitive) To become yellow or more yellow.
(transitive) To make (something) yellow or more yellow.
Being of a bright saffronlike color; of the color of gold or brass; having the hue of that part of the rainbow, or of the solar spectrum, which is between the orange and the green.
Her yellow hair was browded [braided] in a tress.
A sweaty reaper from his tillage broughtFirst fruits, the green ear and the yellow sheaf.
The line of yellow light dies fast away.
Cowardly; hence, dishonorable; mean; contemptible; as, he has a yellow streak.
Sensational; - said of some newspapers, their makers, etc.; as, yellow journal, journalism, etc.
A bright golden color, reflecting more light than any other except white; the color of that part of the spectrum which is between the orange and green.
A yellow pigment.
To make yellow; to cause to have a yellow tinge or color; to dye yellow.
To become yellow or yellower.
The quality or state of the chromatic color resembling the hue of sunflowers or ripe lemons
Turn yellow;
The pages of the book began to yellow
Similar to the color of an egg yolk
Easily frightened
Changed to a yellowish color by age;
Yellowed parchment
Typical of tabloids;
Sensational journalistic reportage of the scandal
Yellow journalism
Cowardly or treacherous;
The little yellow stain of treason
Too yellow to stand and fight
Affected by jaundice which causes yellowing of skin etc
Yellow Snonyms
Canary
A bright shade of yellow, similar to that of a canary bird.
The canary curtains brightened up the kitchen.
Golden
Having the color or shine of gold.
The golden sunlight bathed the room in a warm glow.
Saffron
A rich, golden-yellow hue.
The saffron robes of the monks were strikingly vivid.
Lemon
A pale, yellow color.
She wore a bright lemon dress to the party.
Amber
A hard, translucent, fossilized resin originating from extinct coniferous trees of the Tertiary period, typically yellowish in color. It's also used to describe a similar color.
The amber lights created a cozy atmosphere.
Sunshine
A bright, cheerful yellow; reminiscent of the sun's light.
Her room was painted a vibrant shade of sunshine yellow.
Gold
A yellow precious metal, the color of which is used to describe things as having a similar hue.
The gold leaves of autumn lay scattered on the ground.
Mustard
A dark, yellow color, resembling that of mustard.
He wore a mustard-colored tie for contrast.
Buttercup
A bright yellow color, named after the flower.
The field was dotted with buttercup flowers.
Maize
A color similar to that of corn; a light yellow.
The maize-colored dress was perfect for the summer picnic.
Yellow Idioms & Phrases
Yellow journalism
Sensationalized or exaggerated news reporting to attract readers.
That article's outrageous claims are a classic example of yellow journalism.
Not everything that's yellow is gold
Not everything that looks valuable or true is actually so.
Be cautious of those deals that seem too good to be true; not everything that's yellow is gold.
Caught yellow-handed
Being caught in an act of cowardice or deceit.
He was caught yellow-handed trying to avoid responsibility.
Yellow streak
A mark of cowardice.
Despite his tough exterior, he has a yellow streak.
To turn yellow
To become cowardly in the face of danger or a challenge.
When confronted, he turned yellow and backed down.
A yellow light
A warning or indication to proceed with caution.
The unexpected expense was a yellow light for their budget planning.
Yellow pages
A telephone directory of businesses, categorized by type.
Before the internet, people would look up companies in the yellow pages.
Yellow-bellied
Showing cowardice or lack of courage.
He was too yellow-bellied to stand up for what he believed in.
Yellow press
Newspapers that focus more on sensationalism than on factual reporting.
He refuses to read the yellow press, preferring more reliable news sources.
The yellow of the egg
The best or most valuable part of something.
Living in this vibrant city is the yellow of the egg of my overseas experience.
Born with a silver spoon in a yellow mouth
Born into wealth but lacking courage or moral fiber.
Despite his privileges, he was born with a silver spoon in a yellow mouth.
Yellow card
A warning for unsporting behavior, originating from soccer.
The player received a yellow card for arguing with the referee.
Yellow fever
An intense attraction to someone, or in its literal sense, a tropical viral disease.
He's got a serious case of yellow fever after meeting her.
Yellow sky at night, sailor's delight
A variation of the traditional weather lore, suggesting good weather ahead.
We saw a yellow sky at night and knew we'd have smooth sailing the next day.
Paint the town yellow
To celebrate excessively, but with a connotation of doing so in a cowardly or non-confrontational manner.
After the win, they were ready to paint the town yellow, avoiding any spots known for trouble.
Waving a yellow flag
Signaling a need to slow down or be cautious, often used in racing.
The recent market downturn has many investors waving a yellow flag.
To have a yellow streak down one's back
To be extremely cowardly.
He talks a big game, but he has a yellow streak down his back.
Yellow road
A path of caution or cowardice.
Choosing to ignore the problem is walking down the yellow road.
Yellow song
A song that is cheerful and uplifting.
That tune is such a yellow song; it brightens up my day every time.
Yellow leaf
The later years of life, often considered a period of decline.
He spent his yellow leaf writing memoirs and reflecting on his adventures.
Yellow Example Sentences
A field of yellow daffodils swayed gently in the breeze.
The little girl chose a yellow balloon at the fair.
The yellow sunflower turned its head towards the sun.
The artist used shades of yellow to give the painting a warm feeling.
The yellow jacket of the book caught my eye on the shelf.
The cat's eyes glowed yellow in the dark room.
She tied a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree.
He highlighted the important text with a yellow marker.
The yellow light of the candle flickered softly.
He painted the wall a bright yellow to cheer up the room.
Her yellow scarf fluttered in the wind as she walked.
They served lemonade in yellow cups at the picnic.
A patch of yellow buttercups grew by the riverbank.
The yellow school bus arrived early in the morning.
The yellow brick road led them to the city.
Common Curiosities
How is yellow used in a sentence?
She wore a bright yellow dress to the party.
What is a stressed syllable in yellow?
The stressed syllable in "yellow" is the first syllable, "yel."
How many syllables are in yellow?
There are two syllables in "yellow."
How do we divide yellow into syllables?
"Yellow" is divided into syllables as "yel-low."
What is the verb form of yellow?
The verb form of "yellow" can also be "yellow," used in the context of something becoming yellow, as in "The leaves yellow in autumn."
Why is it called yellow?
It's called "yellow" because it describes the color perceived when light with a dominant wavelength between roughly 570 and 590 nm is detected by the eye. The term likely originates from the Old English "geolu" or "geolwe," which means "yellow, yellowish."
What is another term for yellow?
Another term for "yellow" could be "golden" or "lemon-colored."
What is the pronunciation of yellow?
"Yellow" is pronounced as /ˈjɛloʊ/ in American English.
What is the singular form of yellow?
The singular form is "yellow."
What is the second form of yellow?
The second form (simple past) of "yellow" as a verb is "yellowed."
What part of speech is yellow?
"Yellow" can function as both an adjective and a verb.
What is the opposite of yellow?
The opposite of "yellow" in terms of color could be "blue," considering color theory.
Is yellow an abstract noun?
As a noun, "yellow" is not abstract; it refers to a specific color, which is a perceptual property.
What is the root word of yellow?
The root word of "yellow" is from the Old English "geolu" or "geolwe," meaning "yellow, yellowish."
What is the first form of yellow?
As a verb, the first form (base form) of "yellow" is "yellow."
Is yellow a vowel or consonant?
The word "yellow" starts with a consonant sound, "y."
Is the word “yellow” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
"Yellow" can be a direct object in a sentence, such as "The sun yellows the paper."
What is the third form of yellow?
The third form (past participle) of "yellow" as a verb is "yellowed."
Is the yellow term a metaphor?
"Yellow" can be used metaphorically, such as "yellow journalism" to describe sensationalized media.
Is the word yellow Gerund?
The gerund form of "yellow" as a verb would be "yellowing."
Which determiner is used with yellow?
Determiners such as "the," "a," "this," "that" can be used with "yellow," depending on the context.
What is the plural form of yellow?
As an adjective, "yellow" does not have a plural form. As a noun, it remains "yellow" when referring to the color in general.
Is yellow a noun or adjective?
"Yellow" can be both a noun (when referring to the color itself) and an adjective (when describing something as yellow).
Is yellow a negative or positive word?
"Yellow" is neutral, but it can have positive or negative connotations depending on the context (e.g., positivity and warmth or cowardice).
Is yellow a collective noun?
No, "yellow" is not a collective noun.
Which conjunction is used with yellow?
Conjunctions such as "and," "but," or "or" can be used with "yellow" depending on the sentence structure.
Is yellow an adverb?
No, "yellow" is not an adverb.
Is yellow a countable noun?
As a noun referring to the color, "yellow" is generally uncountable.
Is the word yellow imperative?
As a verb, "yellow" can be used in an imperative form, such as in gardening or artistic instructions, e.g., "Let the leaves yellow before picking."
Which vowel is used before yellow?
The vowel used before "yellow" depends on the preceding word, not on "yellow" itself.
Which preposition is used with yellow?
Prepositions such as "in," "with," and "of" can be used with "yellow," e.g., "in yellow," "with yellow highlights," "of a yellow hue."
Which article is used with yellow?
Both the definite article "the" and the indefinite article "a" can be used with "yellow," depending on whether it refers to a specific instance or yellow in general.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
