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

California Poppy Available in tangerine orange, vibrant red, soft pink, and many other lively hues, the California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) is a worthy addition to any garden. — Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 3 July 2026

Go literal and finish your manicure with a sprinkling of blueberries and strawberries, or keep it subtle with a blueberry milk or strawberry milk hue. — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 3 July 2026

Researchers recently visualized a set of images across a spectrum of red, white, and blue hues compiled by the Chandra X-ray Observatory as well as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 July 2026

Her eyes also boasted their usual liquid black wing with a metallic shimmer on the lids and a Gothic charcoal hue buffed in her waterline. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 2 July 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 population 302,983