pigment
Americannoun
-
a dry insoluble substance, usually pulverized, which when suspended in a liquid vehicle becomes a paint, ink, etc.
-
a coloring matter or substance.
-
Biology. any substance whose presence in the tissues or cells of animals or plants colors them.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
-
a substance occurring in plant or animal tissue and producing a characteristic colour, such as chlorophyll in green plants and haemoglobin in red blood
-
any substance used to impart colour
-
a powder that is mixed with a liquid to give a paint, ink, etc
-
An organic compound that gives a characteristic color to plant or animal tissues and is involved in vital processes. Chlorophyll, which gives a green color to plants, and hemoglobin, which gives blood its red color, are examples of pigments.
-
A substance or material used as coloring.
Other Word Forms
- hyperpigmented adjective
- nonpigmented adjective
- pigmentary adjective
- unpigmented adjective
Etymology
Origin of pigment
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin pigmentum paint, equivalent to pig- (stem of pingere to paint ) + -mentum -ment
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hints of pink eye shadow, dark eyeliner, red pigmented eyebrows and crimson lipstick complete the transformation — the next “national treasure” has taken the stage.
From Los Angeles Times
We see the folds best in raking light—directed at the painting from an acute angle—and the fleshy effect was created by the painter zigzagging the wax pigment across her neck in layers.
Because the color comes from structure rather than pigment, it remains stable and resists fading over long periods of time.
From Science Daily
In the 1950s and 1960s, some indigenous artists began painting ritual designs on bark, instead of cave walls, using traditional earth pigments.
Crucially, the artist did more than simply spray pigment around a hand pressed to the wall, the researchers say.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
