What does pinkish mean?
“Pinkish” is an adjective meaning somewhat pink rather than unequivocally pink. It is used when a person or thing has a faint, subtle, or uncertain pink coloration, as in “a pinkish glow” or “a pinkish complexion.” The word is common in both British and American English and appears in descriptive writing about color, light, skin, fabric, flowers, and skies. Its ending, “-ish,” gives it a qualified meaning: it softens a more exact color term by suggesting a close resemblance without claiming that the color is pure. “Pink” is the more direct term when a definite, vivid pink is intended; “pinkish” is preferable when the hue is muted, mixed with another color, or difficult to distinguish. The term is useful because many real-world colors do not fit neatly into the standard categories named by basic color words.
adjectiveSomewhat or slightly pink in color; having a pinkish appearance.
- Having a color that is somewhat or slightly pink.
"The sky became pinkish as the sun began to set."
"Her cheeks were pinkish after the cold morning walk."
"The flowers have a pinkish tinge, though they are not fully in bloom."
“Pinkish” is the color-word equivalent of “almost”: it names a hue without insisting on precision.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pinkish come from?
“Pinkish” is formed from the English color word “pink” with the suffix “-ish,” meaning somewhat or resembling. “Pink” entered English in the 16th century as the name of the flower known as the pink, before becoming a general color term. The color term is associated with the flower’s petals and ultimately with the Old French word “pinke,” possibly linked to the Latin “punctus,” meaning punctured or dotted, referring to the flower’s patterned petals.
Related word forms
How pinkish is actually used
Common in ordinary descriptive writing; it is especially useful when the exact shade is uncertain, indistinct, or only approximately pink.
Easily confused with pinkish
“Pink” names the color itself, whereas “pinkish” means that something is only slightly pink or has a pinkish tint.