dye

dye — noun

1. a powder or liquid that you mix with water and use to give a new colour to fabri

1.nounB1
Definition

a powder or liquid that you mix with water and use to give a new colour to fabric, hair, wood, or other materials.

Example

Takeshi bought a red fabric dye at the shop to refresh his old curtains.

countable: a specific type of dye for a purpose

The hairdresser mixed two bottles of dye to create a deep brown colour for Hoa.

Common collocations
  • hair dye
  • fabric dye
  • food dye
  • natural dye
  • artificial dye
  • a bottle of dye
Synonyms
  • colourant

    more technical; used in food and industrial contexts

  • pigment

    usually refers to natural colouring matter, often in paint or skin

  • stain

    used for wood or surfaces; soaks in deeper than dye

  • tint

    a weak or gentle dye that adds only a slight colour

Grammar Patterns

a [type] dye

dye for [material]

Usage Note

Often paired with a material name (hair dye, fabric dye, food dye) to specify what the substance is meant for.

Common Mistakes

I bought a dye blue for my shirt.
I bought a blue dye for my shirt.
the colour adjective goes before 'dye', not after.
Idioms

dyed-in-the-wool

idiom

having very strong and fixed beliefs, opinions, or loyalties that are unlikely ever to change.

Tamás is a dyed-in-the-wool football fan who has supported the same club since he was five years old.

dye — verb

Word family

  • dyed
    adjectiveB1
  • dyeing
    nounB2
  • dyer
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words refer to substances that add colour, but they differ in application and intensity. Dye is the most general term for a liquid or powder that changes the colour of fabric, hair, or other materials. Pigment is a natural or synthetic colouring matter that does not dissolve in water; it is common in paint, ink, and cosmetics. Stain is used for wood or porous surfaces and soaks deeper into the material. Tint is a weak version of dye that gives only a slight hint of colour. Colourant is a technical umbrella term especially used in food and manufacturing. For everyday use, choose dye for hair or fabric, stain for wood, and tint for a subtle shade change.

dye ↗pigment ↗stain ↗tintcolourant

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • a bottle of dye
  • a tube of dye
  • a pack of dye
  • a shade of dye

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'dye' comes from Old English 'deag' or 'deah,' meaning a colour or hue. It is related to the Old English verb 'deagian' (to colour or stain). These forms trace back to the Proto-Germanic root '*daugō,' which also gave rise to similar words in other Germanic languages. Over time, the spelling shifted from 'deah' to the modern 'dye' around the 1500s, developing its specific focus on liquid colouring for fabrics and hair.