colorcapable

Colorcapable is an adjective used to describe hardware, software, or media that can produce or display color. In digital imaging and display technology, a colorcapable device can render more than black and white, enabling vivid representations of photos, graphics, and user interfaces. The term contrasts with monochrome or grayscale devices, which display only shades of a single color.

In practice, colorcapable devices include color monitors, televisions, projectors, printers, cameras, and mobile devices, as well as software applications that render color graphics. Colorcapable displays rely on color models such as RGB for light-based systems and CMYK for pigment-based printers. Specifications often cite color depth (bits per pixel) and color gamut to indicate capability; true color generally implies at least 24-bit color (8 bits per channel).

Usage and orthography: Some writers use color-capable or color capable; colorcapable as a closed compound is used in certain product descriptions or branding. The term is descriptive rather than normative, serving to distinguish devices with color output from grayscale-only alternatives.

See also: color depth, color gamut, RGB, CMYK, display technology, color management.