azures

Azures is the plural form of azure, a color name describing a bright, sky-blue shade. In color terminology, azure sits between blue and cyan on the visible spectrum and is often linked to clear skies and tropical seas. The exact hue of azures can vary by context, with designers and color systems defining it differently; in many palettes it denotes a saturated blue with a hint of green.

In heraldry, azure is a standard tincture representing blue, and azures (the plural form) may appear when describing multiple blue fields or charges in a coat of arms. While heraldic texts usually use azure in the singular, azures can be encountered in more general descriptive passages or modern adaptations of heraldic language.

Beyond heraldry, azures appears in art, literature, and branding as a descriptive term for blue tones. In branding and web design, azure-like colors are specified in style guides and color systems, with CSS, Pantone, and other standards providing exact values for azure-adjacent colors. The relationship between azure and close equivalents such as blue, cyan, or teal means azures can be interpreted differently across devices and color spaces.

Etymology links azure to Old French azur and Latin azureus, ultimately tracing to the Persian lazaward (lapis lazuli). This lineage reflects the historical association of the color with the precious gemstone, contributing to the broader use of azures as a descriptor for vivid blue shades.

See also: Azure (color), Azure (disambiguation), color naming, heraldry.