hue

noun

ˈhyü 

1

: overall character or appearance to the mind : complexion, aspect

… political parties of every hue …

—Louis Wasserman

2

a

: color

all the hues of the rainbow

b

: gradation of color

… the hues and shades of twilight …

—Colin Clark

c

: the attribute of colors that permits them to be classed as red, yellow, green, blue, or an intermediate between any contiguous pair of these colors

red with an orange hue

compare brightness sense 2, lightness sense 2a, saturation sense 4

Synonyms of hue

• shade
• color
• tone
• tint

Examples of hue in a Sentence

We decorated the room in hues of blue and green.

decorated the room in hues of blue and green

Recent Examples on the Web

But the majority were backing the 49ers, something that could be heard as early as warmups and could be seen in the distinct red hue of the crowd shots. — Matt Barrows, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Comey’s nods to Drexler are mostly subtle, drawing from the artist’s color palette of vibrant hues from bright green and orange to cobalt blue and lilac, with an eye toward their high-contrast juxtapositions, a hallmark of Drexler’s paintings. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 11 Sep. 2026

More rubbing produces mahogany, tan and brown hues, caused by staining from contact with vegetation. — Jim Zumbo, Outdoor Life, 10 Sep. 2026

The stems are available in orange, green, beige, and purple hues to fit your vibe, and only need a quick wipe-down between seasons to look eternally fresh. — Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hewe, from Old English hīw; akin to Old Norse hȳ plant down, Goth hiwi form

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing hue

• hue and cry

Rhymes for hue

• blew
• blue
• boo
• brew
• chew
• chou
• clue
• coo
• coup
• crew
• cue
• dew

Kids Definition

hue

noun

ˈhyü 

1

: color sense 1

2

: a particular variety of a color : shade

3

: an aspect of colors that allows them to be identified as red, yellow, green, blue, or something between any two of these colors

Medical Definition

hue

noun

ˈhyü 

: the one of the three psychological dimensions of color perception that permits them to be classified as red, yellow, green, blue, or an intermediate between any contiguous pair of these colors and that is correlated with the wavelength or the combination of wavelengths comprising the stimulus compare brightness, saturation sense 4a

Geographical Definition

Hue

geographical name

ˈ(h)wā 

hü-ˈā, 

hyü-ˈā

variants or French Hué

city and port in central Vietnam; formerly capital of Annam