White vs. Silver — What's the Difference?

Color without hue.

A metallic element with high conductivity.

Symbol of purity.

Color resembling polished silver.

The achromatic color of maximum lightness; the color of objects that reflect nearly all light of all visible wavelengths; the complement or antagonist of black, the other extreme of the neutral gray series. Although typically a response to maximum stimulation of the retina, the perception of white appears always to depend on contrast.

Describing hair that turns gray.

The albumen of an egg.

Symbol of second place in competitions.

Lack of color in technology.

Symbol Ag A lustrous white, ductile, malleable metallic element, occurring both uncombined and in ores such as argentite, having the highest thermal and electrical conductivity of the metals. It is highly valued for jewelry, tableware, and other ornamental use and is widely used in coinage, photography, dental and soldering alloys, electrical contacts, and printed circuits. Atomic number 47; atomic weight 107.868; melting point 961.78°C; boiling point 2,162°C; specific gravity 10.50 (20°C); valence 1, 2. See Periodic Table.

Minimalism in design.

Reflective quality in description.

Sign of surrender.

Silver is a chemical element with the symbol Ag (from the Latin argentum, derived from the Proto-Indo-European h₂erǵ: "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal.

White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of fresh snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black.

This metallic element as a commodity or medium of exchange.

The white part of an eyeball.

Coins made of this metallic element.

A blank or unprinted area, as of an advertisement.

A medal made of silver awarded to one placing second in a competition, as in the Olympics.

Whites Pieces of laundry having a white or nearly white color.

Domestic articles, such as tableware, made of or plated with silver.

Whites White pants or a white outfit of a special nature

Tableware, especially eating and serving utensils, made of steel or another metal.

Whites The white dress uniform of the US Navy or Coast Guard.

A lustrous medium gray.

A white wine.

A silver salt, especially silver nitrate, used to sensitize paper.

A white pigment.

Made of or containing silver

A white breed, species, or variety of animal.

Resembling silver, especially in having a lustrous shine; silvery.

Any of various butterflies of the subfamily Pierinae, characteristically having chiefly white wings often with black markings.

Of a lustrous medium gray

Also White A member of a racial group having light-colored skin, especially when of European origin and in some classifications also when of Middle Eastern or North African origin.

Having a soft, clear, resonant sound.

Often whites Products of a white color, such as flour, salt, and sugar.

Eloquent; persuasive

The white or light-colored pieces, as in chess.

Favoring the adoption of silver as a standard of currency

The player using these pieces.

Of or constituting a 25th anniversary.

The outermost ring of an archery target.

To cover, plate, or adorn with silver or a similar lustrous substance.

A hit in this ring.

To give a silver color to.

Whites(Medicine) Leukorrhea.

To coat (photographic paper) with a film of silver nitrate or other silver salt.

White A member of a conservative or counterrevolutionary faction, especially one opposing the Bolsheviks in the Russian civil war.

To become silvery.

Being of the color white; devoid of hue, as new snow.

(uncountable) A lustrous, white, metallic element, atomic number 47, atomic weight 107.87, symbol Ag.

Weakly colored; almost colorless; pale

Coins made from silver or any similar white metal.

Pale gray; silvery and lustrous

Cutlery and other eating utensils, whether silver or made from some other white metal.

Bloodless; blanched.

Any items made from silver or any other white metal.

Light or whitish in color or having light or whitish parts. Used with animal and plant names.

(uncountable) A shiny gray color.

Also White Of or belonging to a racial group of people having light-colored skin, especially when of European origin, and in some classifications also when of Middle Eastern or North African origin

(countable) a silver medal

Habited in white

Anything resembling silver; something shiny and white.

Accompanied by or mantled with snow

Made from silver.

Incandescent

Made from another white metal.

Intensely heated; impassioned

Having a color like silver: a shiny gray.

White Of or relating to a conservative or counterrevolutionary faction, especially one opposing the Bolsheviks in the Russian civil war.

Denoting the twenty-fifth anniversary, especially of a wedding.

With milk added. Used of tea or coffee.

(of commercial services) Premium, but inferior to gold.

(Archaic) Unsullied; pure.

Having the clear, musical tone of silver; soft and clear in sound.

(Printing) To cover or make illegible with white coloring. Often used with out.

To acquire a silvery colour.

Bright and colourless; reflecting equal quantities of all frequencies of visible light.

To cover with silver, or with a silvery metal.

(sometimes capitalized) Of or relating to Caucasians, people of European descent with light-coloured skin.

To polish like silver; to impart a brightness to, like that of silver.

Designated for use by Caucasians.

To make hoary, or white, like silver.

Relatively light or pale in colour.

A soft white metallic element, sonorous, ductile, very malleable, and capable of a high degree of polish. It is found native, and also combined with sulphur, arsenic, antimony, chlorine, etc., in the minerals argentite, proustite, pyrargyrite, ceragyrite, etc. Silver is one of the "noble" metals, so-called, not being easily oxidized, and is used for coin, jewelry, plate, and a great variety of articles. Symbol Ag (Argentum). Atomic weight 107.7. Specific gravity 10.5.

Pale or pallid, as from fear, illness, etc.

Coin made of silver; silver money.

Lacking coloration (tan) from ultraviolet light; not tanned.

Anything having the luster or appearance of silver.

Affected by leucism.

The color of silver.

(of coffee or tea) Containing cream, milk, or creamer.

Of or pertaining to silver; made of silver; as, silver leaf; a silver cup.

The standard denomination of the playing pieces of a board game deemed to belong to the white set, no matter what the actual colour.

Precious; costly.

Pertaining to an ecclesiastical order whose adherents dress in white habits; Cistercian.

To cover with silver; to give a silvery appearance to by applying a metal of a silvery color; as, to silver a pin; to silver a glass mirror plate with an amalgam of tin and mercury.

Honourable, fair; decent.

To polish like silver; to impart a brightness to, like that of silver.

Grey, as from old age; having silvery hair; hoary.

To make hoary, or white, like silver.

(archaic) Characterized by freedom from that which disturbs, and the like; fortunate; happy; favourable.

To acquire a silvery color.

(obsolete) Regarded with especial favour; favourite; darling.

A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography

(politics) Pertaining to constitutional or anti-revolutionary political parties or movements.

Coins made of silver

(of tea) Made from immature leaves and shoots.

A light shade of gray

(typography) Not containing characters; see white space.

Silverware eating utensils

(typography) Said of a symbol or character outline, not solid, not filled with color. Compare said of a character or symbol filled with color.

A medal made of silver (or having the appearance of silver) that is usually awarded for winning second place in a competition

Characterised by the presence of snow.

Coat with a layer of silver or a silver amalgam;

(of a set of armor) Alwhite, pertaining to white armor.

Make silver in color;

The color/colour of snow or milk; the colour of light containing equal amounts of all visible wavelengths.

Turn silver;

A person of European descent with light-coloured skin.

Made from or largely consisting of silver;

Any butterfly of the subfamily Pierinae in the family Pieridae.

Having the white lustrous sheen of silver;

White wine.

Lustrous gray; covered with or tinged with the color of silver;

White coffee

Expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively;

(countable) Any object or substance that is of the color white.

The albumen of bird eggs (egg white).

(anatomy) The sclera, white of the eye.

The cue ball in cue games.

Cocaine

The snow- or ice-covered "green" in snow golf.

A white pigment.

A white bean

(archery) The central part of the butt, which was formerly painted white; the centre of a mark at which a missile is shot.

The enclosed part of a letter of the alphabet, especially when handwritten.

A feather, from the wing of the cock ostrich, that is of the palest possible shade.

(transitive) To make white; to whiten; to bleach.

Reflecting to the eye all the rays of the spectrum combined; not tinted with any of the proper colors or their mixtures; having the color of pure snow; snowy; - the opposite of black or dark; as, white paper; a white skin.

Destitute of color, as in the cheeks, or of the tinge of blood color; pale; pallid; as, white with fear.

Having the color of purity; free from spot or blemish, or from guilt or pollution; innocent; pure.

Gray, as from age; having silvery hair; hoary.

Characterized by freedom from that which disturbs, and the like; fortunate; happy; favorable.

Regarded with especial favor; favorite; darling.

Something having the color of snow; something white, or nearly so; as, the white of the eye.

Specifically, the central part of the butt in archery, which was formerly painted white; the center of a mark at which a missile is shot.

A person with a white skin; a member of the white, or Caucasian, races of men.

A white pigment; as, Venice white.

Any one of numerous species of butterflies belonging to Pieris, and allied genera in which the color is usually white. See Cabbage butterfly, under Cabbage.

To make white; to whiten; to whitewash; to bleach.

A member of the Caucasoid race

The quality or state of the achromatic color of greatest lightness (bearing the least resemblance to black)

Australian writer (1912-1990)

United States political journalist (1915-1986)

United States architect (1853-1906)

United States writer noted for his humorous essays (1899-1985)

United States educator who in 1865 (with Ezra Cornell) founded Cornell University and served as its first president (1832-1918)

A tributary of the Mississippi River that flows southeastward through northern Arkansas and southern Missouri

(board games) the lighter pieces

(usually in the plural) trousers

Turn white;

Being of the achromatic color of maximum lightness; having little or no hue owing to reflection of almost all incident light;

Of or belonging to a racial group having light skin coloration;

Free from moral blemish or impurity; unsullied;

Marked by the presence of snow;

Restricted to whites only;

Glowing white with heat;

Benevolent; without malicious intent;

Of a surface; not written or printed on;

(of coffee) having cream or milk added

Dressed (or especially habited) in white;

(of hair) having lost its color;

Ash-colored or anemic looking from illness or emotion;

Of summer nights in northern latitudes where the sun barely sets;

White is often preferred in medical and hygienic environments for its association with cleanliness and sterility.

White is associated with feelings of cleanliness and freshness, while silver evokes a sense of cool elegance and futuristic vibes.

White is used to create a sense of space and openness in interiors and can be a base for showcasing other design elements.

White tends to maintain its brightness under different lighting conditions, whereas silver can vary dramatically, appearing more lustrous under bright light.

Historically, white has been a symbol of luxury and unattainability, as it was difficult to keep clean and thus worn as a status symbol.

White can represent mourning in some Eastern cultures, whereas in Western cultures, it is often associated with purity and weddings; silver typically symbolizes wealth and technological advancement universally.

Silver is a popular choice for jewelry due to its reflective properties and affordability compared to platinum or white gold, which are more durable and also hypoallergenic.

White is a perennial favorite in fashion for its versatility, while silver is often used for statement pieces or evening wear due to its eye-catching quality.

Artists use white to add highlights, suggest space, or convey purity, while silver is used to suggest otherworldliness or technological themes.

Silver is not commonly found as a color in nature but is present in the form of the metal and in certain mineral compounds.

Yes, industries such as healthcare and culinary arts favor white for its implications of cleanliness and simplicity, over the more industrial and luxurious associations of silver.

Silver is invaluable in electronics due to its excellent conductivity and durability, often used in contacts and conductors.

In some contexts, silver can be seen as cold or impersonal, often associated with a clinical or overly technological ambiance.

In graphic design, white is used to create negative space, enhance readability, and simplify designs, while silver is less common but used for specific effects or luxury branding.

White surfaces can show dirt and stains easily, requiring frequent cleaning, whereas silver can tarnish and requires polishing to maintain its luster.