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
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.
Noun
One of the biggest dangers associated with the current food supply is food dyes, Siegel said. Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 18 Nov. 2024 Cotton, a material foreign to ancient Greece, was imported from Persia, and the purple dye was reserved for elite use. Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
Seeking refuge, Farrow moved to England with her second husband, André Previn, dyed her hair brown, worked at the Royal Shakespeare Company and had children. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024 Rose McGowan deliberately dyed her brown hair blonde to contrast with Neve Campbell — and chose her own wardrobe. Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dye 

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 3 Dec. 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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