watercolor

noun

wa·​ter·​col·​or ˈwȯ-tər-ˌkə-lər 

ˈwä-

1

: a paint of which the liquid is a water dispersion of the binding material (such as glue, casein, or gum)

2

: the art or method of painting with watercolors

3

: a picture or design executed in watercolors

watercolor adjective

watercolorist

ˈwȯ-tər-ˌkə-lə-rist 

ˈwä-

noun

Examples of watercolor in a Sentence

a landscape done in watercolor

He only works in watercolors.

We bought a watercolor of the shore.

Recent Examples on the Web

With just a few sculptures and paintings, the show is largely composed of works on paper — scores of drawings, watercolors, notations, sketchbooks, posters, notepads, photographs, scrapbooks and other assorted ephemera — plus documentary photographs by colleagues. —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2024

Thomas Taylor's original 1997 watercolor illustration for the cover of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which achieved a record-breaking sale price at a Sotheby's auction in New York on June 26, 2024, is held by a Sotheby's worker. —Freddy Foulston, CBS News, 27 June 2024

An original watercolor illustration from a first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone has become the most valuable Harry Potter item ever sold after an unknown buyer won it for $1.9 million at an auction this week. —Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 27 June 2024

Fabula taught classes on watercolor through the club. —Lyndi McNulty, Baltimore Sun, 15 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

watercolor

noun

wa·​ter·​col·​or ˈwȯt-ər-ˌkəl-ər 

ˈwät-

1

: a paint whose liquid part is water

2

: a picture painted with watercolor

3

: the art of painting with watercolor

watercolorist

-ˌkəl-ə-rəst 

noun