English Dictionary | Thesaurus | Translator | COBUILD Grammar Patterns | Scrabble | Blog
  • English
  • This page in
    American
    Italiano
    Deutsch
    Español
    Português
    हिंदी
    简体中文
| Sign Up | Log In
 
English
Menu
English Dictionary Thesaurus Translator Grammar Scrabble Blog
  • English
  • This page in
    American
    Italiano
    Deutsch
    Español
    Português
    हिंदी
    简体中文
Sign Up Log In

Definition of 'colourful'

Word Frequency

colourful

(kʌləʳfʊl )
regional note:   in AM, use colorful
1. adjective
Something that is colourful has bright colours or a lot of different colours.
The flowers were colourful and the scenery magnificent.
People wore colourful clothes and seemed to be having a good time.
colourfully   adverb
...the sight of dozens of colourfully-dressed people.
2. adjective
A colourful story is full of exciting details.
The story she told was certainly colourful, and extended over her life in England, Germany and Spain.
...the country's colourful and often violent history.
3. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
A colourful character is a person who behaves in an interesting and amusing way.
A colourful character, he likes extravagant gestures.
4. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
If someone has had a colourful past or a colourful career, they have been involved in exciting but often slightly shocking things.
More details surfaced of her colourful past as the story developed.
...a well-known City business man with a rather colourful background.
5. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
Colourful language is rude or offensive language.
[politeness]
Bryant is alleged to have used colourful language.
More Synonyms of colourful
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Video: pronunciation of 'colourful'

Word Frequency

colourful in British

or US colorful (ˈkʌləfʊl )
adjective
1. 
having intense colour or richly varied colours
2. 
vivid, rich, or distinctive in character
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
colourfully (ˈcolourfully) or US colorfully (ˈcolorfully)
  adverb
colourfulness (ˈcolourfulness) or US colorfulness (ˈcolorfulness)
  noun

Example sentences containing 'colourful'

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…
Mind you, he did say it in slightly more colourful language! The Sun (2016)International referees can often become as colourful and controversial as the men they are charged with policing. Times, Sunday Times (2011)His language was colourful and perhaps that was why so many of the players loved it. Times, Sunday Times (2010)You could meet your new love where colourful clothes are sold. The Sun (2008)How does your husband feel about your colourful past? Times, Sunday Times (2006)Yet its ports are picturesque and its history rich and colourful. Times, Sunday Times (2006)Her language is as colourful as her barnet. The Sun (2011)The smoking jacket has a colourful history. Times, Sunday Times (2014)It also has a colourful and troubled history. Times, Sunday Times (2011)The third thing to note is that the building in which the gallery is housed has a colourful past. Times, Sunday Times (2015)He really is a colourful character. The Sun (2009)Few trainers have a more colourful background than Brown. The Sun (2012)BBC1 Glam rock is regarded as one of the most exciting and colourful periods in pop. The Sun (2006)The colourful, often controversial lives of world champions have featured on the big screen. The Sun (2010)In a book brimming with colourful and curious characters, two names stand out. The Times Literary Supplement (2012)His stance was uncompromising and his language colourful, but he was not saying anything new. Jane Dunn ELIZABETH AND MARY: Cousins, Rivals, Queens (2003)He has a very colourful background and claims to have slept with more than 1,000 men and women. The Sun (2013)I yearn for colourful clothes with a modern twist on classic. Times, Sunday Times (2013)I would love to be more colourful with my clothes and this situation is getting me down. The Sun (2007)He used quite colourful language. The Sun (2015)Its colourful past has given it layer upon layer of history, but these days the city is very much a modern metropolis. Times, Sunday Times (2015)There's no doubt he was one of the most colourful and exciting fighters of his era with an amazing capacity to absorb tremendous punishment. The Sun (2010)Indeed, an array of colourful characters have sought to acquire English football clubs. Times, Sunday Times (2016)Three individual characters as colourful and loud as each other, they say the fact their styles and personalities are so different has enabled them to become friends. The Sun (2012)A large, often colourful sail that is raised at the front of a yacht to increase speed during races when the wind is not particularly strong. Times, Sunday Times (2012)

Trends of 'colourful'

In Common Usage. colourful is one of the 10000 most commonly used words in the Collins dictionary

View usage for:

Translations for 'colourful'

British English: colourful /ˈkʌləfʊl/ ADJECTIVE
Something that is colourful has bright colours.
...colourful flowers.
  • American English: colorful
  • Arabic: لَوْنِيّ
  • Brazilian Portuguese: colorido
  • Chinese: 色彩鲜明的
  • Croatian: šaren
  • Czech: barvitý
  • Danish: farverig
  • Dutch: kleurrijk
  • European Spanish: lleno de colorido
  • Finnish: värikäs
  • French: coloré
  • German: bunt
  • Greek: πολύχρωμος
  • Italian: colorato
  • Japanese: 色彩に富んだ
  • Korean: 색채가 다양한
  • Norwegian: fargerik
  • Polish: barwny
  • European Portuguese: colorido
  • Romanian: colorat
  • Russian: красочный
  • Spanish: lleno de colorido
  • Swedish: färgrik
  • Thai: เต็มไปด้วยสีสัน
  • Turkish: renkli
  • Ukrainian: барвистий
  • Vietnamese: sặc sỡ

Translate your text for free

Nearby words of 'colourful'

  • coloured
  • colourer
  • colourfast
  • colourful
  • colouring
  • colouring book
  • colouriser

  • All ENGLISH words that begin with 'C'

Source

Definition of colourful from the Collins English Dictionary

Punctuation in numbers

Dates Full stops or slashes are often used in dates.   American usage   12 . 3 . 09 3 / 12 / 09 2 . 28 . 1 5 2 / 28 / 1 5 Scientific usage Full stops are not used in scientific abbrev...
Read more about 'Punctuation in numbers'
Word of the day:
affogato
a drink prepared by pouring espresso coffee over a scoop of ice cream
See full definition
Apr 20, 2018
Fed up with the great British weather? Here’s how to afford that dream summer escape
From planning early to knowing where to look, these top tips will help you fulfil your summer holiday desires
Read more
The etymology behind 4 eggs-ellent Springtime words
We’ve explored the diverse etymology of 4 eggs-ellent words associated with spring.
Read more
Up Lit, Alexa Laugh & Meet Me at McDonald’s Hair: March’s Words In The News
Catch up on the latest words in the news this March with Robert Groves.
Read more
Join the Collins community
All the latest wordy news, linguistic insights, offers and competitions every month.
Read more
Scrabble score for 'colourful': 14
Latest Word Submissions
Barrecore Apr 18, 2018
wido Apr 18, 2018
centimorgan Apr 17, 2018
gender expansive Apr 16, 2018
Carthritis Apr 15, 2018
Submit View More
Browse the English Dictionary
  • #
  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M
  • N
  • O
  • P
  • Q
  • R
  • S
  • T
  • U
  • V
  • W
  • X
  • Y
  • Z
View all dictionaries...
  • View more
  • API
  • B2B Partnerships
  • Advertising
  • Word Banks
  • Collins COBUILD
  • Collins ELT
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact us
  • Languages
  • English
  • Thesaurus
  • Grammar
  • French
  • German
  • Spanish
  • Italian
  • Chinese
  • Portuguese
  • Hindi
  • Word Lists
  • Word of the Year
  • Scrabble
  • COBUILD Anniversary
© Collins 2018