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Whitish: meaning, definitions and examples

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whitish

 

[ ˈwɪtəʃ ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

color description

Whitish refers to a color that is somewhat white in appearance but not completely so. It suggests a faint or light variation of white, often used to describe objects, surfaces, or substances that have a white hue without being purely white. This term can also imply a mixture of white with another color, resulting in a pale tint. The whitish coloration can be seen in various natural elements like clouds, light-colored minerals, or even certain fabrics.

Synonyms

creamy, faded white, off-white, pale

Examples of usage

  • The walls were painted a whitish shade.
  • The sky was filled with whitish clouds.
  • She wore a dress that was a whitish color, perfect for the summer.
  • The flowers had a whitish hue that complemented the greenery.

Translations

Translations of the word "whitish" in other languages:

🇵🇹 esbranquiçado

🇮🇳 सफेद

🇩🇪 weißlich

🇮🇩 putih

🇺🇦 біловатий

🇵🇱 białawy

🇯🇵 白っぽい

🇫🇷 blanchâtre

🇪🇸 blanquecino

🇹🇷 beyazımsı

🇰🇷 흰색의

🇸🇦 أبيض تقريباً

🇨🇿 bělavý

🇸🇰 bielkastý

🇨🇳 淡白色的

🇸🇮 beločrn

🇮🇸 hvítleitur

🇰🇿 ақшыл

🇬🇪 თეთრი

🇦🇿 ağ

🇲🇽 blanquecino

Etymology

The word 'whitish' is formed by adding the suffix '-ish' to the adjective 'white'. The term 'white' has its roots in Old English 'hwita', which is derived from Proto-Germanic '*hwitaz', meaning 'bright' or 'clear'. This was influenced by the Proto-Indo-European root '*bʰeydʰ-', which means 'to shine' or 'to be bright'. The '-ish' suffix is commonly used in the English language to indicate a similarity or tendency toward a certain quality, often implying that something is not quite the full version of that quality—in this case, not fully white but resembling it. Over time, 'whitish' emerged in the English lexicon to describe various shades that are close to but not entirely white, thus enriching the descriptive capacity of the language.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #10,493, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.