mauve

 
Pronunciation: /məʊv/

adjective

  • of a pale purple colour: blossoms with mauve and white petals

noun

[mass noun]
  • 1a pale purple colour: a few pale streaks of mauve were all that remained of the sunset [count noun]: glowing with soft pastel mauves and pinks
  • 2 historical a pale purple aniline dye prepared by William H. Perkin in 1856. It was the first synthetic dyestuff.

Derivatives

mauvish

adjective

Origin:

mid 19th century: from French, literally 'mallow', from Latin malva