cyaan

Cyaan, spelled cyaan in Dutch, denotes the color cyan, a blue-green hue situated between blue and green on the visible spectrum. In pure light it typically corresponds to wavelengths around 490 to 520 nanometers.

Etymology: The word cyan in English derives from Latin cyaneus, from Greek kyanos meaning blue. The Dutch spelling cyaan follows Dutch orthography, which often uses double vowels to indicate a long vowel sound.

Color models: In additive color systems (RGB), cyan is produced by combining blue and green light. Its pure digital form is commonly defined as RGB (0, 255, 255), and the web color cyan is hex code #00FFFF. In subtractive color systems (CMYK) cyan is one of the primary inks, used with magenta and yellow to reproduce a broad range of colors on printed material.

Usage and perception: Cyan is widely used in graphic design, digital interfaces, and signage for its high contrast and legibility against darker tones. It is often associated with coolness, clarity, and technology. Perception of cyan can vary with lighting, viewing conditions, and the printing or display device, so printed cyan may shift toward blue or green depending on the medium and color gamut.

Variations: The cyan family encompasses a spectrum of blue-green tones from turquoise to teal. Different devices and standards may label near-cyan hues as aqua, aqua-blue, or sky blue, while strict cyan refers to a precise point in color spaces such as RGB and CMYK.