"colour" meaning in Middle English

See colour in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /kuˈluːr/, /ˈkulur/ Forms: colours [plural], colur [alternative], color [alternative], culur [alternative], coler [alternative], coloure [alternative], kolour [alternative]
Etymology: Borrowed from Anglo-Norman colur, from Latin color. Etymology templates: {{ety|enm|:bor|xno:colur}} [Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from", "terms" : [ { "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "alt" : "*ḱélōs", "lang_name" : "Proto-Indo-European", "status" : "inline", "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "id" : "cover", "children" : [ ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Proto-Indo-European", "term" : "*ḱel-", "lang" : "ine-pro" }, { "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "id" : "athematic", "children" : [ ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Proto-Indo-European", "term" : "*-os", "lang" : "ine-pro" }, { "id" : "amphikinetic", "children" : [ ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Proto-Indo-European", "term" : "*-s", "lang" : "ine-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "From", "is_group" : true, "keyword" : "affix" } ], "lang_name" : "Proto-Indo-European", "term" : "*-ōs", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "ine-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "From", "is_group" : true, "keyword" : "affix" } ], "lang" : "ine-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang_name" : "Proto-Italic", "term" : "*kelōs", "status" : "inline", "lang" : "itc-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang_name" : "Old Latin", "term" : "colōs", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "itc-ola" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang_name" : "Latin", "term" : "color", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "la" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang_name" : "Old French", "term" : "color", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "fro" } ], "keyword_label" : "From", "keyword" : "from" } ], "lang_name" : "Anglo-Norman", "term" : "colur", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "xno" } ], "keyword" : "bor" } ], "lang_name" : "Middle English", "term" : "colour", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "enm" }" data-lang="enm" data-title="colour">, {{bor+|enm|xno|colur}} Borrowed from Anglo-Norman colur, {{der|enm|la|color}} Latin color Head templates: {{head|enm|noun|g=|g2=|g3=|head=|sort=}} colour, {{enm-noun|pl2=colours}} colour (plural colours or colours)
  1. colour, hue, shade
    Sense id: en-colour-enm-noun-iA1tt14X Categories (other): Heraldry Disambiguation of Heraldry: 25 25 25 25
  2. pigment, dye (substance for colouring)
    Sense id: en-colour-enm-noun-TP6Gafus Categories (other): Middle English entries with etymon, Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Pages using etymon with no ID, Pages with etymon, Heraldry Disambiguation of Middle English entries with etymon: 10 57 10 23 Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 9 60 10 21 Disambiguation of Pages using etymon with no ID: 13 45 13 29 Disambiguation of Pages with etymon: 13 45 13 29 Disambiguation of Heraldry: 25 25 25 25
  3. method (literary or rhetorical)
    Sense id: en-colour-enm-noun-ytzdBbZS Categories (other): Heraldry Disambiguation of Heraldry: 25 25 25 25
  4. justification, explanation (often feigned)
    Sense id: en-colour-enm-noun-21hUFo1f Categories (other): Heraldry Disambiguation of Heraldry: 25 25 25 25
     
{
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "color"
    },
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "colour"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Scots",
      "lang_code": "sco",
      "word": "colour"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": ":bor",
        "3": "xno:colur"
      },
      "expansion": "[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*ḱélōs\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"cover\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*ḱel-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"athematic\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-os\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"amphikinetic\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-s\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-ōs\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*kelōs\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old Latin\", \"term\" : \"colōs\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"itc-ola\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"color\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"color\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Anglo-Norman\", \"term\" : \"colur\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"xno\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"colour\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" }\" data-lang=\"enm\" data-title=\"colour\">",
      "name": "ety"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "xno",
        "3": "colur"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from Anglo-Norman colur",
      "name": "bor+"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "color"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin color",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Borrowed from Anglo-Norman colur, from Latin color.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "colours",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "colur",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "color",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "culur",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "coler",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "coloure",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "kolour",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "noun",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "head": "",
        "sort": ""
      },
      "expansion": "colour",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "pl2": "colours"
      },
      "expansion": "colour (plural colours or colours)",
      "name": "enm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "25 25 25 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Heraldry",
          "orig": "enm:Heraldry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "colour, hue, shade"
      ],
      "id": "en-colour-enm-noun-iA1tt14X",
      "links": [
        [
          "colour",
          "colour#English"
        ],
        [
          "hue",
          "hue"
        ],
        [
          "shade",
          "shade"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "10 57 10 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "9 60 10 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 45 13 29",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages using etymon with no ID",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 45 13 29",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "25 25 25 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Heraldry",
          "orig": "enm:Heraldry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "pigment, dye (substance for colouring)"
      ],
      "id": "en-colour-enm-noun-TP6Gafus",
      "links": [
        [
          "pigment",
          "pigment"
        ],
        [
          "dye",
          "dye"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "25 25 25 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Heraldry",
          "orig": "enm:Heraldry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "method (literary or rhetorical)"
      ],
      "id": "en-colour-enm-noun-ytzdBbZS",
      "links": [
        [
          "method",
          "method"
        ],
        [
          "literary",
          "literary"
        ],
        [
          "rhetorical",
          "rhetorical"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "25 25 25 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Heraldry",
          "orig": "enm:Heraldry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "justification, explanation (often feigned)"
      ],
      "id": "en-colour-enm-noun-21hUFo1f",
      "links": [
        [
          "justification",
          "justification"
        ],
        [
          "explanation",
          "explanation"
        ],
        [
          "feign",
          "feign#English"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/kuˈluːr/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkulur/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "colour"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "Middle English entries with etymon",
    "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
    "Middle English lemmas",
    "Middle English nouns",
    "Middle English terms borrowed from Anglo-Norman",
    "Middle English terms derived from Anglo-Norman",
    "Middle English terms derived from Latin",
    "Middle English terms derived from Old French",
    "Middle English terms derived from Old Latin",
    "Middle English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
    "Middle English terms derived from Proto-Italic",
    "Middle English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ḱel- (cover)",
    "Pages using etymon with no ID",
    "Pages with 3 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Pages with etymon",
    "enm:Heraldry"
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "color"
    },
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "colour"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Scots",
      "lang_code": "sco",
      "word": "colour"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": ":bor",
        "3": "xno:colur"
      },
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      "name": "ety"
    },
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      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
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        "3": "colur"
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      "expansion": "Borrowed from Anglo-Norman colur",
      "name": "bor+"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "color"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin color",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Borrowed from Anglo-Norman colur, from Latin color.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "colours",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "colur",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "color",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "culur",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "coler",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "coloure",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "kolour",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "noun",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "head": "",
        "sort": ""
      },
      "expansion": "colour",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "pl2": "colours"
      },
      "expansion": "colour (plural colours or colours)",
      "name": "enm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "colour, hue, shade"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "colour",
          "colour#English"
        ],
        [
          "hue",
          "hue"
        ],
        [
          "shade",
          "shade"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "pigment, dye (substance for colouring)"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "pigment",
          "pigment"
        ],
        [
          "dye",
          "dye"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "method (literary or rhetorical)"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "method",
          "method"
        ],
        [
          "literary",
          "literary"
        ],
        [
          "rhetorical",
          "rhetorical"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "justification, explanation (often feigned)"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "justification",
          "justification"
        ],
        [
          "explanation",
          "explanation"
        ],
        [
          "feign",
          "feign#English"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/kuˈluːr/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkulur/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "colour"
}

Download raw JSONL data for colour meaning in Middle English (4.6kB)

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable Middle English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-07-09 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-07-06 using wiktextract (e62056b and e7887d5). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.