barví

Barví is the present tense, third-person singular form of the Czech verb barvit, meaning to dye or color by applying pigment to a substrate such as fabric, hair, wood, or paper. The infinitive is barvit; related nouns include barvivo (dye or colorant), barvení (dyeing), and barva (color).

In practice, barvit describes processes that impart color. Common contexts include textile dyeing, hair coloring, and staining wood or paper. The term distinguishes dyeing from painting in some technical uses; dyes may require mordants, baths, heat, and solvents to fix color.

Dyes can be natural or synthetic. Natural dyes come from plants, minerals, or insects, while synthetic dyes enable a broader palette and faster processing. In Czech, colorants used in food or cosmetics are referred to as barviva; potravinářská barviva denotes food colorings.

Grammatical note: barvit is imperfective. Present tense forms include barvím, barvíš, barví; past tense forms include barvil, barvila; the participle is barvený (dyed) and the noun barvení denotes the dyeing process.

See also: barva, barvivo, barvení.