achromatic

adjective

ach·​ro·​mat·​ic ˌa-krə-ˈma-tik How to pronounce achromatic (audio)
(ˌ)ā-
1
: refracting light without dispersing it into its constituent colors : giving images practically free from extraneous colors
an achromatic telescope
2
: not readily colored by the usual staining agents
3
: possessing no hue : being or involving black, gray, or white : neutral
achromatic visual sensations
4
: being without accidentals or modulation : diatonic
achromatically adverb
achromatism noun
achromatize transitive verb

Examples of achromatic in a Sentence

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.
Still life is reborn as post-minimalism in her achromatic still-life collage series, Riffs on Real Time with Ground. Natasha Gural, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024 Chromatic and achromatic vision: parameter choice and limitations for reliable model predictions Avery Hurt is a freelance science journalist. Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 13 Sep. 2024 For the project’s interior designer, Elizabeth Young, the home displays its architectural lineage as adamantly as its achromatic appearance. Leilani Marie Labong, Architectural Digest, 8 July 2024 Soon enough, the interior and floral designer decided to do something about his achromatic surroundings. Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 20 June 2024 Black is an achromatic shade that creates a feeling of depth and infinite space; an effect further emphasized with a matte finish. Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Sep. 2023 Instead, brown, gray, beige and white are dominant, an achromatic palette whose gloomy drabness is only relieved by the surprisingly wide variety of neutrals the artist employs. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2023 The achromatic 'philosophical zombie', a syndrome of cerebral achromatopsia with color anopsognosia. Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 20 Oct. 2013

Word History

Etymology

a- entry 2 + Greek chrōmat-, chrôma "color" + -ic entry 1 (or borrowed directly from Greek chrōmatikós chromatic entry 1, formed with the same elements)

First Known Use

1754, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of achromatic was in 1754

Dictionary Entries Near achromatic

Cite this Entry

“Achromatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/achromatic. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

achromatic

adjective
ach·​ro·​mat·​ic ˌak-rə-ˈmat-ik How to pronounce achromatic (audio)
1
: giving an image practically free from colors not in the object
an achromatic lens
2
: being black, gray, or white

Medical Definition

achromatic

adjective
ach·​ro·​mat·​ic ˌak-rə-ˈmat-ik How to pronounce achromatic (audio)
1
: refracting light without dispersing it into its constituent colors : giving images practically free from extraneous colors
an achromatic telescope
2
: not readily colored by the usual staining agents
3
: possessing or involving no hue : being or involving only black, gray, or white
achromatic visual sensations
achromatic light stimuli
achromatically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on achromatic

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