Word of the Day

: September 29, 2009

glaucous

adjective GLAW-kus

What It Means

1 a : of a pale yellow-green color

b : of a light bluish-gray or bluish-white color

2 : having a powdery or waxy coating that gives a frosted appearance and tends to rub off

glaucous in Context

In the early mornings, the lush river valley is often shrouded in a glaucous mist.

Did You Know?

"Glaucous" came to English, by way of Latin "glaucus," from Greek "glaukos," meaning "gleaming" or "gray." It has been used for a range of pale colors from a yellow-green to a bluish-gray. The word has often been used to describe the pale color of the leaves of various plants as well as the powdery bloom that can be found on some fruits and leaves. The stem "glauc-" appears in some other English words, the most familiar of which is probably "glaucoma," referring to a disease of the eye that can result in gradual loss of vision. "Glauc-" also appears in the not-so-familiar "glaucope," a word used to describe someone with fair hair and blue eyes (and a companion to "cyanope," the term for someone with fair hair and brown eyes).