cerulean

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adjective ce·ru·le·an \ sə-ˈrü-lē-ən \

Definition of cerulean

:resembling the blue of the sky

cerulean was our Word of the Day on 11/01/2011. Hear the podcast!

Recent Examples of cerulean from the Web

One side contains the treatment liquid — a cerulean blue that looks like the ocean on a sunny day — while the other has a dry, folded-up sheet mask rolled into a neat little ball.

— rachel jacoby zoldan, Teen Vogue, "Talika Eye Decompress Sheet Mask De-Puffs Your Eyes," 22 Aug. 2017
This, at the base of a mountain rising into a cerulean sky.

— leighshulman, Longreads, "In Foreign Territory, Wondering: Who is the Alpha Monkey?," 8 Aug. 2017
One billowing cape in cerulean blue velvet sported a contrasting under garment with white sporty zip up collar.

— thomas adamson, The Seattle Times, "Fendi stuns with Jenner and Hadid fur show to cap couture," 5 July 2017
In this brief five-minute look at the game there’s your ship headquarters, surrounded by cerulean ocean waves, an island town full of rocky shoals and beach huts, and a desert ruin beset by a sandstorm.

— hayden dingman, PCWorld, "Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire shows off old friends and a mysterious new world," 15 June 2017
Her regal red, glistening gown, the gold cuff about her neck and the elaborate golden mask, highlighted with a red heart and cerulean blue accents, dramatically conveyed her power and position.

— andrea mills, Orange County Register, "Cerro Villa fashion students dream up a dramatic fashion show," 14 June 2017
Nearby, don’t miss: The cerulean seas, puttering yachts, and international jet-set around the dazzling Costa Smeralda.

— eliot stein, Condé Nast Traveler, "A Tour of the Nuraghi, Sardinia's Bronze-Age Mysteries," 9 June 2017
Blue bedrooms (light cerulean to cadet blue) added $1,856 to a home's worth; compare that to pink bedrooms, which saw a slight decrease in sales price ($208).

— taysha murtaugh, Country Living, "This Is the Paint Color You Should Use If You Want Your Home to Sell," 1 June 2017
The warm weather sent stateside models water bound: Irina Shayk hit the pool, her post-baby body dipping easily under the cerulean waters, and Ari Westphal posed for a kiss in Rockaway Beach.

— calin van paris, Vogue, "The Best Beauty Instagrams of the Week, From Irina Shayk's Post-Baby Body to Ari Westphal's Curls," 28 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cerulean.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Cerulean comes from the Latin word caeruleus, which means "dark blue" and is most likely from "caelum," the Latin word for "sky." An artist rendering a sky of blue in oils or watercolors might choose a tube of cerulean blue pigment. Birdwatchers in the eastern U.S. might look skyward and see a cerulean warbler (Dendroica cerulea). "Cerulean" is not the only color name that's closely associated with the sky. "Azure" (which ultimately comes from a Persian word for lapis lazuli, a rich blue stone) describes the color of a cloudless sky and can even be a noun meaning "the unclouded sky."