color phase

noun

1

: a seasonally variant pelage color

2

a

: a genetic variant manifested by the occurrence of a skin or pelage color unlike the wild type of the animal group in which it appears

b

: an individual marked by such a variant

Examples of color phase in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Our timber rattlers in the Pennsylvania mountains have two color phases, black and yellow. — Dr. C. E. Kuschel, Outdoor Life, 9 Apr. 2026

To complicate the issue, individuals of both species go through different color phases throughout each year. — Paul Richards, Field & Stream, 14 Sep. 2023

The gobblers have included oddities such as unusual color phases, toms with no beard and adult males with no spurs. — Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 16 May 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for color phase

• aldolase
• alleyways
• amylase
• anaphase
• anhydrase
• anyways
• arginase
• cabarets
• carriageways
• castaways
• catalase
• cellulase