Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A picture, especially a painting, done in different shades of a single color.
  • noun The art or technique of executing such a picture.
  • noun The state of being in a single color.
  • noun A black-and-white image, as in photography or on television.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Painting or a painting in one color, which may, however, be relieved by the use of lighter and darker shades. Compare camaïeu and grisaille.
  • Of one color; painted in one color; monochromic.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A painting or drawing in a single color; a picture made with a single color.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A black and white image, especially such a photograph.
  • noun dated A painting executed in shades of a single colour.
  • noun A ceramic glaze of a single colour; an object so glazed.
  • adjective having only one colour
  • adjective photography representing colours with shades of gray

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun painting done in a range of tones of a single color
  • noun a black-and-white photograph or slide
  • adjective having or appearing to have only one color

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Medieval Latin monochrōma, from feminine of Greek monokhrōmos, of one color : mono-, mono- + khrōma, color.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Ancient Greek μονόχρωμος (monokhrōmos), from μόνος ("one") + χρῶμα ("color").

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word monochrome.

Examples

  • I resent the term monochrome and consider it racist

    Comment Registration: The Experiment Ends Early 2007

  • On the heels of her rainbow-bright appearance at Miu Miu's Paris show, Rihanna hit the streets looking decidedly more down to earth in monochrome leggings and a relaxed knit sweater.

    Chloé Harris: Celebs Strip Down Post-Fashion Week Chloé Harris 2010

  • On the heels of her rainbow-bright appearance at Miu Miu's Paris show, Rihanna hit the streets looking decidedly more down to earth in monochrome leggings and a relaxed knit sweater.

    Chloé Harris: Celebs Strip Down Post-Fashion Week Chloé Harris 2010

  • Camel twinned with shots of color or simple monochrome is this season's favorite fallback.

    Camel Staples 2010

  • Maybe it's just the technique of showing Kansas in monochrome and Oz in technicolor.

    My Five: Favorite Movies Based on Books 2010

  • On the heels of her rainbow-bright appearance at Miu Miu's Paris show, Rihanna hit the streets looking decidedly more down to earth in monochrome leggings and a relaxed knit sweater.

    Chloé Harris: Celebs Strip Down Post-Fashion Week Chloé Harris 2010

  • Maybe it's just the technique of showing Kansas in monochrome and Oz in technicolor.

    Archive 2010-03-01 2010

  • The restaurant has been treated partly in monochrome to allow the tabletop illuminations to stand out and partly with further graphics (inspired by the colour choices of kaleidoscopes and origami for an Asian feel) to mirror the strong graphic sense created by the tabletops.

    Inamo Restaurant Interior by Blacksheep 2008

  • Available in monochrome aluminum, or in white with vibrant anodized colors, the Symbol helps to keep your home photo ready - with or without the coats.

    Hang it up 2007

  • Available in monochrome aluminum, or in white with vibrant anodized colors, the Symbol helps to keep your home photo ready - with or without the coats.

    November 2007 2007

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.