watercolor

noun

wa·​ter·​col·​or ˈwȯ-tər-ˌkə-lər 

ˈwä-

1

: a paint of which the liquid is a water dispersion of the binding material (such as glue, casein, or gum)

2

: the art or method of painting with watercolors

3

: a picture or design executed in watercolors

watercolor adjective

watercolorist

ˈwȯ-tər-ˌkə-lə-rist 

ˈwä-

noun

Examples of watercolor in a Sentence

a landscape done in watercolor

He only works in watercolors.

We bought a watercolor of the shore.

Recent Examples on the Web

Aix-en-Provence is hosting a year-long celebration of Cézanne, exhibiting 130 paintings, drawings and watercolors incorporating the artist's themes (and the locations that inspired him), along with walking tours and site visits. —David Morgan, CBS News, 28 Nov. 2025

One of my father’s drawings—a large pen, ink, and watercolor work on illustration board—hung framed over my grandfather’s mantle. —Daisy Rockwell, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2025

Encourage their creativity with this adorably compact and portable watercolor paint set. —Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Nov. 2025

Come January, snow transforms the state into a watercolor of blues and whites—a painting flecked with glassy skating ponds and woolly evergreens. —Corey Buhay, Outside, 13 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for watercolor

• multicolor
• technicolor
• unicolor
• versicolor
• bicolor
• concolor
• discolor
• tricolor
• color
• colour
• culler
• duller

Kids Definition

watercolor

noun

wa·​ter·​col·​or ˈwȯt-ər-ˌkəl-ər 

ˈwät-

1

: a paint whose liquid part is water

2

: a picture painted with watercolor

3

: the art of painting with watercolor

watercolorist

-ˌkəl-ə-rəst 

noun