Magenta vs. Pink — What's the Difference?

By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 18, 2023
Magenta is a vivid, purplish-red color that is more intense and leans towards purple. Pink is a lighter shade of red that often appears pastel and is generally less intense. Both are variations of red but differ in hue, intensity, and context of usage.

Difference Between Magenta and Pink
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Key Differences
In terms of technology and color printing, magenta is one of the primary colors used in the CMYK color model. It is essential in producing a wide array of colors when printing. Pink does not have the same technical significance; it is often created by diluting red or mixing red with white.

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Sep 18, 2023
Magenta and pink both serve various cultural meanings and associations. In Western cultures, magenta is less gender-specific and is often used to signify boldness and excitement. Pink has stronger gender implications, commonly associated with femininity and used more extensively in products and clothing targeting women.

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Sep 18, 2023
Magenta is a color that sits between red and purple on the color spectrum. It is often described as a purplish-red and is more vivid and intense than many other colors in the red spectrum. Pink, on the other hand, is a lighter shade of red that usually appears more pastel and is less intense than magenta.

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Sep 18, 2023
In the realm of color psychology, magenta is often associated with creativity, imagination, and emotional balance. It is a color often seen in modern designs and art installations. Pink is commonly linked with femininity, love, and tenderness. It is a color more frequently associated with softness, romance, and baby products.

Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 18, 2023
Comparison Chart
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Definitions
Magenta➦
Used in the CMYK color model for printing.
In CMYK, magenta is one of the primary colors.

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Sep 18, 2023
Pink➦
Pink is a color that is a pale tint of red and is named after a flower of the same name. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century.

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Jul 08, 2018
Magenta➦
A vivid, purplish-red color.
The sunset sky turned a stunning magenta.

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Sep 18, 2023
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Pink➦
Created by mixing red with white.
Adding white to red creates various shades of pink.

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Sep 18, 2023
Magenta➦
Magenta () is a color that is variously defined as purplish-red, reddish-purple or mauvish-crimson. On color wheels of the RGB (additive) and CMY (subtractive) color models, it is located exactly midway between red and blue.

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Pink➦
Of a colour intermediate between red and white, as of coral or salmon
Her face was pink with embarrassment
Bright pink lipstick

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Magenta➦
A light mauvish-crimson which is one of the primary subtractive colours, complementary to green
A short magenta dress
Bright pink double flowers each lined in dark magenta

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Magenta➦
Associated with creativity and imagination.
The artist used magenta to evoke emotional depth.

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Sep 18, 2023
Pink➦
Of or associated with homosexuals
A boom in the pink economy
The pink pound

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Magenta➦
A vibrant light purple, purplish-red, reddish-purple, or pinkish purple colour obtained by mixing red and blue light (thus a secondary colour), but primary in the CMYK colour system used in printing.

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Pink➦
A herbaceous Eurasian plant with sweet-smelling pink or white flowers and slender, typically grey-green leaves.

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Pink➦
A small square-rigged sailing ship, typically with a narrow, overhanging stern.

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Magenta➦
An aniline dye obtained as an amorphous substance having a green bronze surface color, which dissolves to a shade of red; also, the color; - so called from Magenta, in Italy, in allusion to the battle fought there about the time the dye was discovered. Called also fuchsin, fuchsine, roseïne, etc.

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Pink➦
A yellowish lake pigment made by combining vegetable colouring matter with a white base.

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Magenta➦
A dark purple-red; the dye was discovered in 1859, the year of the battle of Magenta

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Pink➦
Shear (a sheep) so closely that the colour of the skin is visible
McFowler pinked every sheep and never drew blood

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Magenta➦
A battle in 1859 in which the French and Sardinian forces under Napoleon III defeated the Austrians under Francis Joseph I

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Magenta➦
Less gender-specific in cultural contexts.
Both men and women wore magenta at the fashion show.

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Pink➦
(of a vehicle engine) make a series of rattling sounds as a result of over-rapid combustion of the fuel–air mixture in the cylinders
The car was inclined to pink slightly in accelerating from a low engine speed

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Magenta➦
Found between red and purple on the color spectrum.
Magenta bridges the gap between red and purple in the color wheel.

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Pink➦
Any of a group of colors reddish in hue, of medium to high lightness, and of low to moderate saturation.

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Pink➦
Any of various plants of the genus Dianthus, such as sweet William, often cultivated for their showy, fragrant, usually pink, red, or white flowers. Also called dianthus.

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Pink➦
Any of several other plants in the pink family, such as the wild pink.

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Pink➦
Light-colored trousers formerly worn as part of the winter semidress uniform by US Army officers.

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Pink➦
A small sailing vessel with a sharply narrowed stern and an overhanging transom.

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Pink➦
(regional) A young Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, before it becomes a smolt; a parr.

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Pink➦
(obsolete) A small hole made by puncturing something, as with a rapier, dagger, or pinking iron.

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Pink➦
(obsolete) A small hole or puncture made by a sharp, slender instrument such as a rapier, poniard or dagger, or (by extension) a bullet; a stab.

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Pink➦
(obsolete) A small hole or eyelet punched in a garment for decoration, as with a pinking iron; a scallop.

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Pink➦
Any of various flowers in the genus Dianthus, sometimes called carnations.
This garden in particular has a beautiful bed of pinks.

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Pink➦
(dated) A perfect example; excellence, perfection; the embodiment of some quality.
Your hat, madam, is the very pink of fashion.

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Pink➦
(color) The colour of this flower, between red and white; pale red.
My new dress is a wonderful shade of pink.

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Pink➦
(snooker) One of the colour balls used in snooker, coloured pink, with a value of 6 points.
Oh dear, he's left himself snookered behind the pink.

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Pink➦
(slang) An unlettered and uncultured, but relatively prosperous, member of the middle classes; compare Babbitt, bourgeoisie.

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Pink➦
(historical) Any of various lake#Etymology 4 pigments or dyes in yellow, yellowish green, or brown shades made with plant coloring and a metallic oxide base.

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Pink➦
To decorate a piece of clothing or fabric by adding holes or by scalloping the fringe.

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Pink➦
(transitive) To turn (a topaz or other gemstone) pink by the application of heat.

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Pink➦
Of a motor car, to emit a high "pinking" noise, usually as a result of ill-set ignition timing for the fuel used (in a spark ignition engine).

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Pink➦
(obsolete) By comparison to red (communist), describing someone who sympathizes with the ideals of communism without actually being a Russian-style communist: a pinko.

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Pink➦
(informal) Relating to homosexuals as a group within society.
The pink economy
Pink pound
Pink dollar
Pink triangle

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Pink➦
A name given to several plants of the caryophyllaceous genus Dianthus, and to their flowers, which are sometimes very fragrant and often double in cultivated varieties. The species are mostly perennial herbs, with opposite linear leaves, and handsome five-petaled flowers with a tubular calyx.

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Pink➦
A color resulting from the combination of a pure vivid red with more or less white; - so called from the common color of the flower.

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Pink➦
Anything supremely excellent; the embodiment or perfection of something.

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Pink➦
The European minnow; - so called from the color of its abdomen in summer.

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Pink➦
To pierce with small holes; to cut the edge of, as cloth or paper, in small scallops or angles.

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Pink➦
Resembling the garden pink in color; of the color called pink (see 6th Pink, 2); as, a pink dress; pink ribbons.

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Pink➦
Any of various flowers of plants of the genus Dianthus cultivated for their fragrant flowers

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Pink➦
Make light, repeated taps on a surface;
He was tapping his fingers on the table impatiently

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Pink➦
Sound like a car engine that is firing too early;
The car pinged when I put in low-octane gasoline
The car pinked when the ignition was too far retarded

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Pink➦
Commonly associated with love and tenderness.
She wore a pink dress to symbolize love.

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Pink➦
Strongly associated with femininity.
Pink is a popular color for girls' clothing.

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Pink➦
Less intense than many other shades of red.
She chose a pink lipstick for a softer look.

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Sep 18, 2023
FAQs
How do you make Magenta?
It's a primary color in printing and can't be made by mixing other colors.

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Sep 18, 2023
Is Magenta considered feminine?
It's less gender-specific compared to pink.

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Sep 18, 2023
Is Pink considered feminine?
Yes, it's strongly associated with femininity.

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Sep 18, 2023
What does Magenta symbolize?
Creativity, imagination, and emotional balance.

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Sep 18, 2023
Is Magenta a natural color?
It can appear in natural phenomena like sunsets.

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Sep 18, 2023
Where is Pink commonly used?
In clothing, baby products, and romantic contexts.

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Sep 18, 2023
Author Spotlight

Written 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.