dye

1 of 2

noun

1
: color from dyeing
2
: a soluble or insoluble coloring matter

dye

2 of 2

verb

dyed; dyeing

transitive verb

1
: to impart a new and often permanent color to especially by impregnating with a dye
2
: to impart (a color) by dyeing

intransitive verb

: to take up or impart color in dyeing
dyeability noun
dyeable adjective
dyer noun

Examples of dye in a Sentence

Noun soaked the fabric in blue dye Verb She had been dyeing her hair for years. The fabric is bleached, dyed, and then washed.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Color eggs naturally Color eggs with natural dyes, like onion skins, red cabbage, and more. Rita Nader Heikenfeld, The Enquirer, 22 Mar. 2024 The pastas are all made with traditional bronze dyes by Sfoglini, a company in Coxsackie, in New York’s Hudson Valley, are high in fiber and protein and are also certified as regenerative organic, a high standard for farming quality. Florence Fabricant, New York Times, 18 Mar. 2024 Voting in the presidential election has seen some acts of civil disobedience, with Russia filing at least 15 criminal cases after people poured dye in ballot boxes, started fires or lobbed Molotov cocktails. Radina Gigova, CNN, 17 Mar. 2024 Next, pat each egg dry with a paper towel, but be careful not to rub or wipe the egg's surface, as this might smear or remove the dye from the shell. Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Mar. 2024 Some in the state are ripping up mustard plants and turning them into paper, dyes, pesto and, of course, mustard, the condiment. Eric Risberg and Janie Har, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024 So that’s the idea, colors fade over time in the sunlight because of the effect the solar radiation has on those dyes and pigments. The Arizona Republic, 28 Feb. 2024 The canal will be brightest when the dyes are first introduced and will wear off within a couple of days. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Mar. 2024 Along the way, he was maligned in a film, attacked with green dye and subjected to a multitude of criminal cases, all while being demonized as Western puppet. Oleg Matsnev, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024
Verb
Read more Photo of the day: The luck of the Irish celebrated around the world Cities dyed their rivers green. USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024 Her dark hair is dyed a vibrant hue, a trademark look of her brother’s, as well. Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 For her wedding in May 2023, Ashley Oliver Thomas paid $150 for the bra cups of her ceremony gown to be dyed to match her skin color. Sadiba Hasan, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024 Brett trained his lens on a number of creatives: Danylo and Denys (both 20), a gay couple with their hair dyed the Ukrainian national colors of yellow and blue; Oksana Rubanyak aka Xena, a 21-year-old writer, who published two books of poetry and now serves as a military commander. Venya Brykalin, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2024 A lot of the young men emulated boy-band stars, with long hair often dyed gray, blue, or purple. Helen Schulman, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2024 The Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local 130 has been dyeing the Chicago River green for almost 69 years. Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024 Hair Color Safety Tips The safest way to dye gray pubic hair is by visiting a hair salon that offers this type of service. Tracee Cornforth, Verywell Health, 1 Mar. 2024 Chris LaPorta also dyed her hair blue for the game. Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, 30 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dye.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English dehe, from Old English dēah, dēag

First Known Use

Noun

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

Verb

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

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

Dictionary Entries Near dye

Cite this Entry

“Dye.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dye. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dye

1 of 2 noun
1
: color produced by dyeing
2
: a material used for dyeing or staining

dye

2 of 2 verb
dyed; dyeing
: to stain or color usually permanently
dyer noun

Medical Definition

dye

1 of 2 noun
1
: color from dyeing
2
: a soluble or insoluble coloring matter

dye

2 of 2 verb
dyed; dyeing

transitive verb

1
: to impart a new and often permanent color to especially by impregnating with a dye
2
: to impart (a color) by dyeing
dyeing blue on yellow

intransitive verb

: to take up or impart color in dyeing

More from Merriam-Webster on dye

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