What is yellow? How to use in English

Definition & pronunciation of yellow

yellowadjective

vàng, màu vàng

/ˈjɛləʊ/

Definition & pronunciation of <b>yellow</b>

Where does the word yellow come from?

The word "yellow" has its roots in Old English. The earliest recorded use of the word "geolwe" dates back to the 5th century. Over time, the spelling evolved to "geolu" in Middle English (circa 1100-1500) and eventually "yellow" in Modern English. The word is believed to have come from the Proto-Germanic word "guliz", which was also the source of the Modern German word "gelb". This, in turn, is thought to have been derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "ghel-" which meant "shining" or "golden". It's interesting to note that the word "yellow" didn't always describe the color we associate with it today. In Old English, "yellow" could also refer to a brownish or greenish hue. It wasn't until the 14th century that the modern sense of the word, describing a bright, vibrant yellow, became more widespread.

Vocabulary summary yellow

typeadjective

meaningYellow

exampleto grow (turn, get, become) yellow: turn yellow, turn yellow; yellow (leaves)

meaningjealousy, envy, jealousy, suspicion

exampleto cast a yellow look at

meaning(colloquial) shy, cowardly

typenoun

meaningyellow

exampleto grow (turn, get, become) yellow: turn yellow, turn yellow; yellow (leaves)

meaningyellow butterfly

exampleto cast a yellow look at

meaning(plural) jealousy, envy, enviousness

Example of vocabulary yellownamespace

meaning

having the colour of lemons or butter

  • pale yellow flowers
  • a bright yellow waterproof jacket
  • Her teeth were rather yellow.
  • She wore a pale yellow dress.
  • The leaves turn yellow in November.
meaning

a very offensive word used to describe the light brown skin of people from some East Asian countries

meaning

easily frightened


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