yellow

¹yel·low

adj
\ˈye-(ˌ)lō, dialect ˈye-lər or ˈya-\

Definition of YELLOW

1

a : of the color yellow b : become yellowish through age, disease, or discoloration : sallow c sometimes offensive : having a yellowish or light brown complexion or skin

2

a : featuring sensational or scandalous items or ordinary news sensationally distorted <yellow journalism> b : mean, cowardly

— yel·low·ish \ˈye-lə-wish\ adjective

Examples of YELLOW

1. He was too yellow to stand up and fight.
2. <you'll come with us into the cave, unless you're yellow>

Origin of YELLOW

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: before 12th century

Related to YELLOW

Synonyms: chicken, chickenhearted, chicken-livered, craven, dastardly, gutless, lily-livered, milk-livered [archaic], poltroon, pusillanimous, recreant, spineless, unheroic, cowardly

Antonyms: brave, courageous, daring, dauntless, doughty, fearless, gallant, greathearted, gutsy, hardy, heroic (also heroical), intrepid, lionhearted, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, valiant, valorous

Related Words: diffident, fainthearted, fearful, timid, timorous; afraid, frightened, scared; careful, cautious, wary; bashful, coy, shy; feeble, soft, unmanly, weak

Near Antonyms: audacious, bold, brazen, cheeky, nervy; plucky, spirited, spunky; determined, resolute

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Other Color Terms

argentine, cerise, cerulean, cyan, ocher, perse, puce, taupe, vermilion