aqua

aqua — noun

1. a pale colour somewhere between blue and green, like the water in a clean swimmi

1.nounC1
Definition

a pale colour somewhere between blue and green, like the water in a clean swimming pool or a tropical sea.

Example

Mei painted the bathroom walls a soft aqua to make the small room feel airy.

modifier: a soft aqua

The bridesmaids wore long dresses in aqua, which matched the ribbons on the chairs.

in aqua (worn / coloured in)

Common collocations
  • soft aqua
  • pale aqua
  • bright aqua
  • aqua walls
  • aqua dress
Synonyms
  • turquoise

    very similar pale blue-green; often a touch more vivid than aqua

  • teal

    darker and richer than aqua

  • cyan

    more technical, often used in printing and design

Grammar Patterns

aqua + noun (as modifier)

Usage Note

Often used before another noun to describe the colour of clothes, walls, or paint, as in 'aqua dress' or 'aqua paint'. Unlike 'blue' or 'green', it suggests a soft, pale shade rather than a strong one.

Common Mistakes

The sky was a deep aqua before the storm.
The sky was a deep blue before the storm.
'aqua' describes a pale, pool-like shade, not a strong dark colour.

2. the word for water that is printed on the labels of cosmetics, drinks, or medici

2.nounC2
Definition

the word for water that is printed on the labels of cosmetics, drinks, or medicines, especially in the list of ingredients.

Example

The first item on the shampoo label is aqua, which simply means water.

aqua = water on ingredient lists

Jamal checked the moisturiser and saw that aqua made up most of the bottle.

Common collocations
  • aqua (ingredient)
  • ingredients: aqua
  • contains aqua
Synonyms
  • water

    the everyday word; 'aqua' is the label form

  • H2O

    scientific or playful; not used on cosmetic labels

Grammar Patterns

aqua + ingredient name on a label

Usage Note

Almost only seen on packaging and ingredient lists, not in everyday speech. Distinguish from sense 1 (the colour): here 'aqua' is a noun standing for water itself, not a shade.

Common Mistakes

Can I have a glass of aqua, please?
Can I have a glass of water, please?
'aqua' for 'water' belongs on labels, not in spoken orders.

aqua — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words name colours in the blue-green family, but they sit at different points on the scale. 'Aqua' is the palest and softest, suggesting clear pool water or a faint summer sky. 'Turquoise' is similar but usually a touch more vivid, taking its name from the gemstone. 'Teal' is noticeably darker and richer, leaning towards deep green-blue, and is common in fashion and interior design. 'Cyan' is the most technical of the four; printers, designers, and photographers use it to name a precise shade in colour systems like CMYK. Compare 'a soft aqua dress' (light, summery), 'turquoise jewellery' (bright, gem-like), 'a teal sofa' (deep, moody), and 'cyan ink in the printer' (technical).

aqua ↗turquoise ↗tealcyan

Common collocations

Nouns

  • aqua dress
  • aqua walls
  • aqua tiles
  • aqua paint
  • shade of aqua

Adverbs

  • softly aqua
  • brightly aqua

Phrases

  • a touch of aqua
  • shades of aqua

Prepositions

  • in aqua
  • with aqua

Etymology

LatinMiddle EnglishModern English

'Aqua' comes straight from the Latin word 'aqua', meaning water. English borrowed it in the late Middle Ages, first in scientific and alchemical names like 'aqua vitae' (literally 'water of life', meaning strong alcohol). The colour sense developed much later, in the early twentieth century, as a short form of 'aquamarine' — the pale blue-green gemstone whose name also traces back to Latin 'aqua marina', or 'sea water'.