Colorful

Colorful is an adjective describing things that have color or incorporate a variety of colors. In everyday use it refers to objects with bright hues, multicolored patterns, or visually rich appearances. The term is also used metaphorically to characterize expressions, stories, or personalities that are lively, engaging, or striking.

The word is formed from the noun color and the suffix -ful. English usage derives from Old French and Latin roots through earlier forms, with attestations appearing in the early modern period.

In design, art, and fashion, colorful palettes mix multiple hues to create emphasis, mood, or cultural symbolism. Colorful language or storytelling conveys vivid imagery, while a colorful character or scene can be memorable but may risk perceived excess.

In color science, colorfulness is a perceptual attribute related to the strength and variety of chromatic content, distinct from brightness. It can be described or quantified with perceptual models that separate hue from luminance.

See also color theory, color palettes, color perception.