mauve
Americannoun
-
a pale bluish purple.
-
a purple dye obtained from aniline, discovered in 1856: the first of the coal-tar dyes.
adjective
noun
-
-
any of various pale to moderate pinkish-purple or bluish-purple colours
-
( as adjective )
a mauve flower
-
-
Also called: Perkin's mauve. mauveine. a reddish-purple aniline dye
Etymology
Origin of mauve
1855–60; < French: literally, mallow < Latin malva mallow
Explanation
Mauve is a pale, grayish-purple color. Despite how people often pronounce it, mauve should rhyme with “stove.” Mauve is a relative of purple, violet, or lilac. It shows up in sunsets, on colorful birds and flowers, and sometimes on bridesmaids’ dresses. Mauve is French for “mallow,” and was first used to describe a dye made from a mallow plant. Guess what color runs through the flowers of a mallow plant? That’s right — it’s mauve!
Vocabulary lists containing mauve
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Purple
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Witches" by Roald Dahl, Chapters 1–5
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Her lips are a neutral dusty mauve, her bass guitar a lustrous red.
From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026
Del Toro, 21, won the white jersey for best young rider, Denmark's Mads Pedersen claimed the mauve points classification jersey and Italy's Lorenzo Fortunato took the blue mountains classification jersey.
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2025
She also made one for herself in something of a mauve color that my sister has and which she gave to me first thing after the fire.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 7, 2025
Curate select pieces of art that can include both the colors black and mauve in a single piece.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 27, 2024
He could see the translucent cone with its dark mauve tip heading toward him.
From "Stormbreaker" by Anthony Horowitz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
