yellow

1 of 3

adjective

yel·​low ˈye-(ˌ)lō How to pronounce yellow (audio)
 dialectal  ˈye-lər,
 or  ˈya-
1
a
: of the color yellow
b
: become yellowish through age, disease, or discoloration : sallow
c
sometimes offensive : having a light olive or light brown complexion
2
a
: featuring sensational or scandalous items or ordinary news sensationally distorted
yellow journalism
b
yellowish adjective

yellow

2 of 3

noun

plural yellows
1
: something yellow or marked by a yellow color: such as
a
sometimes offensive : a person having light olive or light brown skin
b
: the yolk of an egg
2
a
: a color whose hue resembles that of ripe lemons or sunflowers or is that of the portion of the spectrum lying between green and orange
b
: a pigment or dye that colors yellow
3
yellows plural : jaundice
4
yellows plural in form but singular in construction : any of several plant diseases caused especially by phytoplasmas and marked by yellowing of the foliage and stunting

yellow

3 of 3

verb

yellowed; yellowing; yellows

intransitive verb

: to become or turn yellow

transitive verb

: to make yellow : give a yellow tinge or color to
yellowed by time

Examples of yellow in a Sentence

Adjective He was too yellow to stand up and fight. you'll come with us into the cave, unless you're yellow Noun The bridesmaids were dressed in yellow. a room decorated in yellows and greens Verb The paper had yellowed with age. The leaves were yellowed by disease.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Two of the thieves wearing yellow vests climbed the ladder to a balcony and used tools to cut through the glass of the window leading to the opulent Galerie d'Apollon - the Apollo Gallery. Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025 The easiest way to do this is to assess whether your kitchen cabinets are warm (with red, yellow, or orange undertones), like cherry, oak, hickory, and pine; or cool (with gray undertones), like white oak, ash, maple, or birch cabinetry. Monika Biegler Eyers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
Kardashian was joined by her 69-year-old momager, Kris Jenner, who opted for a brighter look in a butter yellow Givenchy belted blazer-style mini dress. Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025 Early in the fourth quarter, the Dolphins set up inside the 5-yard line, and the Chargers were once again in man coverage, with the assignment indicated in yellow. Daniel Popper, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
The primary ratings range from Dark Green for industry leaders (producers with 30-40 buttons) to yellow for those initiating CanopyStyle commitments (producers with 10-19 buttons). Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 16 Oct. 2025 Grass will yellow, then turn brown in 24-inch circles. Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for yellow

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English yelwe, yelow, from Old English geolu; akin to Old High German gelo yellow, Latin helvus light bay, Greek chlōros greenish yellow, Sanskrit hari yellowish

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of yellow was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Yellow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yellow. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

yellow

1 of 2 adjective
yel·​low ˈyel-ō How to pronounce yellow (audio)
1
a
: of the color yellow
b
: yellowish from age, disease, or discoloring
2
yellow verb
yellowness noun

yellow

2 of 2 noun
1
: a color like that of ripe lemons
2
: something yellow or yellowish

More from Merriam-Webster on yellow

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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