local color

noun

: the presentation of the features and peculiarities of a particular locality and its inhabitants in writing

Examples of local color in a Sentence

a writer who uses local color in his stories
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.
There are much more interesting situations that come to light, both dramatic and comical, described with local color. Arkansas Online, 26 Apr. 2025 Clearly the answer is: go to Glasgow for three or four weeks and enjoy a nice mix of film and local color. Scott Phillips, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025 Readers familiar with with the local color in each novel have already seen fictional characters visit Nantucket beaches, restaurants, shops, and beyond, and this guidebook is inspired by the setting in each book. Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025 The play hewed closely to the original script, with a few splashes of local color. Chelsea Edgar, The New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for local color

Word History

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of local color was in 1829

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Cite this Entry

“Local color.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/local%20color. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

local color

noun
: the presentation in a story or play of the peculiarities of a particular place and the people who live there
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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