yellow

yellow [yel′ō]

adj.

[ME yelwe < OE geolu, akin to Ger gelb < IE base * ĝhel-, to gleam, yellow, green, blue > Gr cholos, gall, L helvus, tawny]

1. of the color of gold, butter, or ripe lemons

2. changed to a yellowish color as by age, as old paper

3. having a yellowish pigmentation of the skin

☆ 4. Informal cowardly; craven

☆ 5. [see YELLOW JOURNALISM] cheaply sensational: said of certain newspapers

n.

1. a yellow color; color lying between orange and green in the color spectrum

2. a pigment or dye that is yellow or capable of producing yellow

3. the yolk of an egg

4. [pl.] any of several fungous or viral diseases of plants, causing yellowing of the leaves, stunting of growth, etc.

5. [pl.] jaundice, esp. in farm animals

vt., vi.

to make or become yellow

yellowness

n.