1
: overall character or appearance to the mind : complexion, aspect
political parties of every hueLouis Wasserman
2
a
: color
all the hues of the rainbow
b
: gradation of color
the hues and shades of twilightColin 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

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
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.
The deep hue is set against English White and a Ningye Purple Silken Spirit motif is hand-painted on the C-pillar Inside, there’s a starlight headliner with 1,344 fibre-optic ‘stars’ and 192 ‘shooting stars’. Trinity Francis, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025 Available in classic hues—a cream hue and a fresh spiced olive green— these pants come in sizes 0 through 20 to ensure an elevated vibe for everyone. Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 24 July 2025 Dating back to 1963, the 21st-century incarnation has 30 rooms inspired by Italy’s Amalfi Coast with coastal resort hues of sandy beige and pastel pink. Mae Hamilton, AFAR Media, 23 July 2025 The lower half showcases mother-of-pearl marquetry in a gradient that evokes the changing hues of the seasons. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 22 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for hue

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hewe, from Old English hīw; akin to Old Norse plant down, Goth hiwi form

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of hue was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hue. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

hue

noun
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
: 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 How to pronounce Hue (audio)
hü-ˈā,
hyü-ˈā
variants or French Hué
city and port in central Vietnam; formerly capital of Annam population 302,983

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