yellow

1 of 3

adjective

yel·​low ˈye-(ˌ)lō 

dialectal ˈye-lər

or ˈya-

1

a

: of the color yellow

b

: become yellowish through age, disease, or discoloration : sallow

c

sometimes offensive : having a light olive or light brown complexion

2

: featuring sensational or scandalous items or ordinary news sensationally distorted

… a long series of sweeping and irresponsible declamations in the yellow newspapers and cheap magazines …

—The Nation (New York, N.Y.)

see also yellow journalism

3

informal : cowardly

… he was too yellow to even do revenge right.

—Ishmael Reed

yellowish

ˈye-lə-wish 

adjective

yellow

2 of 3

noun

plural yellows

1

: something yellow or marked by a yellow color: such as

a

sometimes offensive : a person having light olive or light brown skin

b

: the yolk of an egg

2

a

: a color whose hue resembles that of ripe lemons or sunflowers or is that of the portion of the spectrum lying between green and orange

b

: a pigment or dye that colors yellow

3

yellows plural : jaundice

4

yellows plural in form but singular in construction : any of several plant diseases caused especially by phytoplasmas and marked by yellowing of the foliage and stunting

yellow

3 of 3

verb

yellowed; yellowing; yellows

intransitive verb

: to become or turn yellow

transitive verb

: to make yellow : give a yellow tinge or color to

yellowed by time

Synonyms of yellow

Adjective

• afraid
• scared
• chicken
• frightened
• careful
• pusillanimous
• spineless
• cowardly
• craven
• dastardly
• gutless
• unheroic

Examples of yellow in a Sentence

Adjective

He was too yellow to stand up and fight.

you'll come with us into the cave, unless you're yellow

Noun

The bridesmaids were dressed in yellow.

a room decorated in yellows and greens

Verb

The paper had yellowed with age.

The leaves were yellowed by disease.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Rooms Each of the 30 rooms at Tortuga Bay is nested within 13 bright yellow villas, either on or just steps from the beach. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 June 2026

That globe—which blooms all year in warm climates—is actually a multitude of symmetrical golden-yellow florets. —Kate Nateras, Architectural Digest, 10 June 2026

Noun

The area in yellow and orange on the Severe Weather Outlook Map below may also see isolated tornadoes develop with possible rotation developing in the late day thunderstorms. —Dave Aguilera, CBS News, 8 June 2026

Dive in for loads of mix-and-matchable pieces in a slew of colors, like this buttery yellow that will be so good with any burgundy, chocolate brown, or deep olivey greens in your wardrobe. —Staff Author, InStyle, 7 June 2026

Verb

Heat can weaken fibers and cause fabrics to yellow or fade, leaving items misshapen or looking dingy. —Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 June 2026

Insects aren't as attracted to yellow, orange, and red lights. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 2 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English yelwe, yelow, from Old English geolu; akin to Old High German gelo yellow, Latin helvus light bay, Greek chlōros greenish yellow, Sanskrit hari yellowish

First Known Use

Adjective

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

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Verb

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

Phrases Containing yellow

• canary yellow
• chrome yellow
• high yellow
• lemon yellow
• primrose yellow
• straw yellow
• sulphur yellow
• yellow-bellied
• yellow bile
• yellow birch
• yellow card
• yellow-dog
• yellow-dog contract
• yellow fever
• yellow-fever mosquito
• yellow-green alga
• yellow jack
• yellow jacket
• yellow jessamine
• yellow journalism
• yellow-legged hornet
• yellow ocher
• yellow pages
• yellow perch
• yellow peril
• yellow pine
• yellow poplar
• yellow rain
• yellow-shafted flicker
• yellow spot

Rhymes for yellow

• cello
• fellow
• jello
• mellow
• melo
• velo
• marshmallow
• morello
• othello
• schoolfellow
• portobello
• violoncello

Kids Definition

yellow

1 of 2 adjective

yel·​low ˈyel-ō 

1

a

: of the color yellow

b

: yellowish from age, disease, or discoloring

2

: cowardly sense 1

yellow verb

yellowness noun

yellow

2 of 2 noun

1

: a color like that of ripe lemons

2

: something yellow or yellowish