1
: overall character or appearance to the mind : complexion, aspect
political parties of every hueLouis Wasserman
2
a
: color
all the hues of the rainbow
b
: gradation of color
the hues and shades of twilightColin Clark
c
: the attribute of colors that permits them to be classed as red, yellow, green, blue, or an intermediate between any contiguous pair of these colors
red with an orange hue
compare brightness sense 2, lightness sense 2a, saturation sense 4

Examples of hue in a Sentence

We decorated the room in hues of blue and green. decorated the room in hues of blue and green
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
To achieve the popular look, Haim’s bedroom was layered with the same blush and terra-cotta hue on the walls and ceilings. Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Mar. 2025 From floor-to-ceiling powder blue bathrooms to shades of pink used on every aspect of the kitchen—including appliances—these hues made their mark on the decade. Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2025 These images show the spacecraft taking on a deep red hue as the sunlight is refracted through the Earth’s atmosphere, resulting in a shadow cast on the lunar surface. Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 14 Mar. 2025 Once the eclipse starts, the full moon will take on a reddish hue and begin to look like a chunk has been taken out from one side, NASA said. Hannah Poukish, Sacramento Bee, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hue

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hewe, from Old English hīw; akin to Old Norse plant down, Goth hiwi form

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hue was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hue. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

hue

noun
1
2
: a particular variety of a color : shade
3
: an aspect of colors that allows them to be identified as red, yellow, green, blue, or something between any two of these colors

Medical Definition

hue

noun
: the one of the three psychological dimensions of color perception that permits them to be classified as red, yellow, green, blue, or an intermediate between any contiguous pair of these colors and that is correlated with the wavelength or the combination of wavelengths comprising the stimulus compare brightness, saturation sense 4a

Geographical Definition

Hue

geographical name

ˈ(h)wā How to pronounce Hue (audio)
hü-ˈā,
hyü-ˈā
variants or French Hué
city and port in central Vietnam; formerly capital of Annam population 302,983

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