What does recolour mean?
Recolour means to give something a new or different colour. It is commonly used for changing the appearance of an object, fabric, photograph, logo, or piece of digital artwork, and it can imply that the original colour has been replaced rather than merely touched up. The word can also refer to applying colour after an object has become faded, damaged, or partly unpainted. In ordinary use, it suggests a deliberate and often noticeable change: someone may recolour a wall, repaint a cabinet, or alter the palette of a photograph. The British spelling is “recolour,” while American English uses “recolor.” Although the basic meaning is straightforward, the word is useful because it distinguishes a complete or substantial change of colour from simply touching up an existing surface with a small amount of paint.
verbTo give something a different colour, especially a colour different from its present or original one. It can also mean to apply colour to something that is not coloured or whose colour has faded.
- To change the colour of something.
- To apply a new colour to something, especially to restore, refresh, or alter its appearance.
"The designer recoloured the logo to make it easier to read against the darker background."
"She recoloured the old cabinet a deep green."
"The image editor was used to recolour the photograph for the magazine cover."
Recolour shows how a simple prefix can transform a basic act: giving something colour all over again, often in a new shade.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does recolour come from?
The word is formed in English by combining the prefix “re-” with “colour,” meaning to give colour again or to change the colour of something. “Colour” itself entered English through Old French and ultimately comes from the Latin “color,” a word related to notions of appearance and complexion. The same Latin root underlies words such as “coloration,” “colorful,” and “decolor,” although English developed different prefixes and suffixes to express repetition, addition, and removal of colour.
Related word forms
How recolour is actually used
The verb is neutral and widely used in both formal and informal contexts. British English generally uses “recolour,” while American English generally uses “recolor”; pronunciation is the same in both varieties.