yellow

yellow — adjective

1. of the bright colour shared by ripe lemons, egg yolks, and sunflower centres

1.adjectiveA1
Definition

of the bright colour shared by ripe lemons, egg yolks, and sunflower centres

Example

Bao picked a bright yellow raincoat so drivers could see him on the dark road.

collocation: bright yellow / pale yellow / dark yellow

The yellow leaves from the maple tree covered the front garden in a thick layer.

Common collocations
  • bright yellow
  • pale yellow
  • yellow paint
  • yellow flower
  • turn yellow
Synonyms
  • golden

    describes a warm, shiny yellow like gold; suggests richness rather than pure colour

  • lemon

    a bright, sharp yellow; less common as a general colour adjective

  • yellowish

    slightly yellow; describes a weaker or mixed shade

  • amber

    a brownish-yellow like fossilised tree resin; more specific

Antonyms
  • blue

    on the opposite side of the colour wheel

Common Mistakes

She painted the room yellow colour.
She painted the room yellow.
'yellow' is already a colour word; do not add 'colour' after it.

2. an extremely offensive and racist term used to describe a person of East or Sout

2.adjective
Definition

an extremely offensive and racist term used to describe a person of East or Southeast Asian descent, based on the colour of their skin. This word is deeply insulting and should not be used.

Example

The newspaper was criticised for printing a headline that used the racist word yellow to describe Asian immigrants.

EXPLICITLY marks the term as racist

Minho's grandfather still remembered how painful it was to be called yellow during his childhood in the 1950s.

Usage Note

This is one of the most offensive racial slurs in English. It has a long history tied to racist immigration policies and discrimination against people of East and Southeast Asian heritage. NEVER use this word to describe a person or a group of people. Even repeating it in historical or academic discussion should be done with care and context.

Common Mistakes

He is yellow.
He is Chinese / Japanese / Korean / Vietnamese / Filipino [or other specific nationality].
using 'yellow' to describe someone's ethnicity is a racist slur.

3. lacking the courage to face danger, difficulty, or opposition; easily frightened

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

lacking the courage to face danger, difficulty, or opposition; easily frightened and unwilling to take a stand

Example

Sven called his teammate yellow for backing out of the competition at the last minute.

informal register: 'call someone yellow'

Andrés felt yellow when he could not bring himself to speak up against the unfair rule at work.

Common collocations
  • call someone yellow
  • turn yellow
  • feel yellow
Synonyms
  • cowardly

    more formal and neutral; the standard word for this meaning

  • timid

    describes a shy, cautious personality rather than a lack of moral courage

  • faint-hearted

    literary; describes someone who gives up easily at the first sign of difficulty

Antonyms
  • brave

    willing to face danger or pain

  • courageous

    having the strength to face difficulty despite fear

Usage Note

This sense is informal and somewhat old-fashioned. It is often used in accusations ('You're yellow!') or self-criticism. The more common and neutral word for this meaning is 'cowardly'.

Common Mistakes

He was yellow to cross the street.
He was too scared to cross the street.
'yellow' does not describe fear of everyday situations; it describes a lack of moral courage or bravery in conflict.

4. having become yellowish in appearance, typically because of age, disease, or dam

4.adjectiveB2
Definition

having become yellowish in appearance, typically because of age, disease, or damage from light or chemicals

Example

Nila found a stack of yellow letters from her grandmother hidden inside the dusty attic box.

collocation: yellow with age

The pages of the old book had grown yellow and fragile after sitting on the shelf for fifty years.

Common collocations
  • yellow with age
  • yellow skin
  • yellow stains
  • turn yellow
  • yellowed pages

Usage Note

When describing a person's skin, 'yellow' can suggest illness such as jaundice or liver problems. This is a medical observation, not related to the offensive racial slur (adj/2).

5. describing a style of journalism that uses exaggerated, shocking, or scandalous

5.adjectiveC1
Definition

describing a style of journalism that uses exaggerated, shocking, or scandalous headlines and stories to attract readers, often at the cost of factual accuracy

Example

The local newspaper was accused of yellow journalism after publishing a wildly exaggerated story about the mayor.

fixed phrase: yellow journalism

Ingrid studied how yellow reporting influenced public opinion during the 19th-century newspaper wars in New York.

Common collocations
  • yellow journalism
  • yellow press
  • yellow reporting
Synonyms
  • sensational

    broader term; can describe any shocking content, not limited to news

  • tabloid

    refers to a specific newspaper format known for sensational stories

  • exaggerated

    describes content that overstates the truth, without the journalistic context

Antonyms
  • objective

    reporting based on facts without bias or sensationalism

  • factual

    strictly based on verifiable information

Usage Note

This sense almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'yellow journalism' or 'yellow press.' It is not commonly used to describe modern online media, though the concept of sensational reporting is still relevant.

Common Mistakes

The article was yellow.
The article was an example of yellow journalism.
Used alone, 'yellow' does not clearly convey this meaning; the full phrase 'yellow journalism' is standard.

yellow — noun

yellow — verb

Word family

  • yellowish
    adjectiveB1
  • yellowed
    adjectiveB2
  • yellowing
    adjectiveB2
  • yellowness
    nounC1
  • yellowy
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

While 'yellow' is the basic colour term (A1), several related words describe more specific shades. 'Golden' suggests a warm, shiny yellow that resembles the metal gold — it has a positive, valuable connotation, as in 'golden sunlight' or 'golden retriever.' 'Yellowish' means slightly yellow, often used when a colour is not fully yellow: 'a yellowish-green paint.' 'Lemon' describes a sharp, bright yellow like the fruit's skin, used mainly in fashion and design: 'a lemon-yellow dress.' 'Amber' falls between yellow and brown, like fossilised tree resin or traffic lights: 'amber eyes' or 'amber glass.' Choose 'golden' when the yellow is warm and attractive; use 'yellowish' for a weak or mixed shade; use 'lemon' for a vivid, cool yellow; and 'amber' for a brownish-yellow tone.

golden ↗yellowishlemon ↗amber ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • turn yellow
  • bright yellow
  • pale yellow
  • shade of yellow
  • yellow with age

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'yellow' comes from Old English 'geolu' (meaning yellow), which traces back to Proto-Germanic '*gelwaz.' This Germanic root comes from the Proto-Indo-European '*ǵʰelh₃-' meaning 'to shine, gleam, or be yellow-green.' The same ancient root gave us the English words 'gold' and 'gleam,' as well as Greek 'khlōros' (greenish-yellow, as in 'chlorophyll') and Latin 'helvus' (honey-yellow). The colour name has been part of English for over a thousand years, and many of its figurative meanings — from cowardice to sensational journalism — developed in the 19th and 20th centuries.