tricolor

1 of 2

adjective

tri·​col·​or ˈtrī-ˌkə-lər 

 also  ˈtrē-,

 especially British  ˈtri-kə-lə

1

a

or tricolored

ˈtrī-ˈkə-lərd 

: having, using, or marked with three colors

b

of a dog : having a coat of black, tan, and white

2

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a tricolor or a nation whose flag is a tricolor

especially : french

tricolor

2 of 2

noun

1

: a flag of three colors arranged in equal horizontal or vertical bands

the French tricolor

2

: a tricolor animal

especially : a tricolor dog

Examples of tricolor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

There is no separating the two now, despite all the separations: the gates, the fences, the bollards, the closures, the motorcades, the river itself — a metropolis clamping down yet very much breathing, waving the tricolor flag of sport, profit and patriotism. —Dan Zak, Washington Post, 26 July 2024

Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party boasts a tricolor flame in its logo evoking a now-defunct movement made up of the political remnants of Benito Mussolini’s fascists. —Annabelle Timsit, Washington Post, 28 June 2024

Noun

On Boxing Day of 1991, a small group of Russian soldiers marched out on the Kremlin wall, lowered the red and gold hammer and sickle for the last time, and hoisted the Russian white, blue, and red tricolor. —Milton Bearden, Foreign Affairs, 24 Mar. 2022

Red, white and blue all over, the design features a flag trim alternating between France’s tricolor ensign and Britain’s Union Jack. —Leah Dolan, CNN, 1 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

French tricolore three-colored, from Late Latin tricolor, from Latin tri- + color color

First Known Use

Adjective

1795, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1797, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

tricolor

1 of 2 noun

tri·​col·​or ˈtrī-ˌkəl-ər 

: a flag of three colors

tricolor

2 of 2 adjective

variants or tricolored

ˈtrī-kəl-ərd

: having, using, or marked with three colors