Colours

How to spell colours

7 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce colours

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does colours mean?

1. nounThe various hues or tints, such as red, blue, and green, that are produced by the way objects reflect light.
2. nounA flag, banner, or set of distinctive shades worn or displayed to show allegiance to a team, regiment, or organisation.

Colours in a sentence

• The autumn leaves turned brilliant colours of orange and red.

• The regiment marched behind its colours during the parade.

• The designer chose soft pastel colours for the nursery walls.

• Loyal supporters wore the club colours to every home match.

Where does colours come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This is the plural of 'colour', which English took from Old French 'colour' (also written 'color'), itself descended from the Latin noun 'color', meaning a tint, a hue, or the outward appearance of something. The Latin word is thought to be related to 'celare', meaning 'to conceal' or 'to cover', the underlying idea being a surface coating that hides what lies beneath. The word arrived in English in the 1200s and was for centuries spelled with the 'u', following the French model. When the spelling later split, British and Canadian usage kept the older 'colour', while American usage adopted the trimmed 'color', so the 'u' in this plural is precisely the dialect feature a writer needs to remember. The same Latin root still shows up in 'coloration' and 'discolour'.

How the word is built

• colour (from Latin color: hue, tint)
• -s (plural)

British and American spelling

Colours is the British spelling. American English spells it colors.