indigo

noun

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in·di·go | \ ˈin-di-ˌgō

plural indigos or indigoes

Definition of indigo

1 : a deep reddish blue

2 : indigo plant

3a : a blue vat dye obtained from plants (such as indigo plants)

b : the principal coloring matter C₁₆H₁₀N₂O₂ of natural indigo usually synthesized as a blue powder with a coppery luster

Examples of indigo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Their vision was to create a dwelling that would serve as an armchair for gazing out over the city, where jacarandas turn deep indigo in the spring and electric thunderstorms roll across the skyline in summer. — Ingrid Abramovitch, ELLE Decor, "In Johannesburg, a Space-Age Bungalow With Killer Views Is Reborn," 5 Jan. 2021 It would be overtaken by synthetic indigo, developed by the German chemist Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Adolf von Baeyer—a discovery so far-reaching it was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1905. — Brandon Tensley, Smithsonian Magazine, "How Denim Became a Political Symbol of the 1960s," 17 Nov. 2020 Erwiah recalled seeing the way African designers use indigo and thinking about the way the plant dye was historically connected with the slave trade. — Livia Gershon, Smithsonian Magazine, "Top Designers Strut Their Stuff at Cooper Hewitt Gala," 2 Oct. 2020 With five colors on sale for just under 20 bucks in all colors but indigo, the toughest part will be choosing which one to purchase. — Arielle Tschinkel, USA TODAY, "You can get a gorgeous Le Creuset mini cocotte for $20 right now," 8 Oct. 2020 Moroccan-style stackable cedar side tables painted in high-gloss hues of mustard, indigo or turquoise, for Casa Tosca, his own line. — Nancy Hass, New York Times, "A Colorful Homecoming for a Milanese Designer," 28 Sep. 2020 Available in colors indigo, blue and midnight chrome, this cocotte thrilled us in testing. — Melissa Lee, USA TODAY, "The 5 best Amazon deals you can get this weekend," 12 Sep. 2020 This landed them at an even more startling figure: Those two plants alone could be unloading a billion indigo denim microfibers per day into the lake. — Matt Simon, Wired, "Your Beloved Blue Jeans Are Polluting the Ocean—Big Time," 2 Sep. 2020 Courtesy of Ruggable Inspired by Japanese cloth-dyeing, this rug is patterned with stripes of indigo and white. — Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, "6 Tie-Dye Home Decor Finds that Let You Try the Trend Without Making a Mess," 20 Aug. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'indigo.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near indigo

indignify

indignities to the person

Statistics for indigo

Last Updated

17 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Indigo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indigo. Accessed 21 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for indigo

indigo

noun

English Language Learners Definition of indigo

: a deep purplish-blue color

See the full definition for indigo in the English Language Learners Dictionary

indigo

noun

in·di·go | \ ˈin-di-ˌgō

plural indigos or indigoes

Kids Definition of indigo

1 : a blue dye made artificially or obtained especially formerly from plants ( indigo plants )

2 : a deep purplish blue

indigo

noun

in·di·go | \ ˈin-di-ˌgō

plural indigos or indigoes

Medical Definition of indigo

1a : a blue dye obtained from indigo plants (as Indigofera tinctoria of Africa and India, I. anil of South America, and I. auriculata of Arabia and Egypt)

b : the principal coloring matter C₁₆H₁₀N₂O₂ of natural indigo usually synthesized as a blue powder with a coppery luster

— called also indigotin

2 : indigo plant