hue

noun

ˈhyü 

1

: overall character or appearance to the mind : complexion, aspect

… political parties of every hue …

—Louis Wasserman

2

a

: color

all the hues of the rainbow

b

: gradation of color

… the hues and shades of twilight …

—Colin 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

Synonyms of hue

• shade
• color
• tone
• tint

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

Gold tones, vibrant jewel hues and Parton's beloved butterfly motif are cornerstones of the drop. —Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 12 Nov. 2025

Some North Texans have already reported seeing pink and green hues out in the country, near Weatherford and in Wise County. —Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Nov. 2025

The color palette includes translucent hues of green, black, brown and the signature clear option. —Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 12 Nov. 2025

First, the violaceins created cool tones, ranging from green to purple, while the carotenoids produced warm hues, from red to yellow. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 12 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing hue

• hue and cry

Rhymes for hue

• blew
• blue
• boo
• brew
• chew
• chou
• clue
• coo
• coup
• crew
• cue
• dew

Kids Definition

hue

noun

ˈhyü 

1

: color sense 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

ˈhyü 

: 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 

hü-ˈā, 

hyü-ˈā

variants or French Hué

city and port in central Vietnam; formerly capital of Annam population 302,983