The word color (also spelled colour in British English) refers to the quality of light that makes things appear red, blue, green, yellow, or any of the countless shades our eyes can detect. When sunlight hits an apple, the apple absorbs most colors but reflects red light back to your eyes, which is why you see it as red.

Colors affect how we experience the world. A bright yellow room feels cheerful and energetic, while a deep blue room feels calm and peaceful. Artists use color to create mood in their paintings. Designers choose colors carefully for everything from logos to websites to make people feel certain ways or notice important information.

As a verb, to color means to add color to something, like coloring a drawing, dyeing fabric, or tinting a photo.

We also use color to mean variety and interest. A storyteller might add color to a tale with vivid details that bring it to life. Someone with a colorful personality is lively and interesting, never boring. A colorful past suggests someone has had unusual or exciting experiences.

When we talk about showing your true colors, we mean revealing your real character, like how a flag shows its colors. To pass with flying colors means to succeed brilliantly at something.

The scientific study of how we perceive color has revealed fascinating facts: some people are color-blind and can't distinguish certain colors, while some animals see colors humans can't even imagine.