ashen

¹

[ ash-uhn ]

adjective

1. ash-colored; gray.

   Synonyms: ashy

2. extremely pale; drained of color; pallid:

   His face was ashen.

   Synonyms: colorless, pasty

3. consisting of ashes.

ashen

²

[ ash-uhn ]

adjective

1. pertaining to the ash tree or its timber.
2. made of wood from the ash tree.

ashen

¹

/ ˈæʃən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or made from the ash tree or its timber

ashen

²

/ ˈæʃən /

adjective

1. drained of colour; pallid
2. consisting of or resembling ashes
3. of a pale greyish colour

Word History and Origins

Origin of ashen¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; ash ¹, -en ²

Origin of ashen²

before 1000; Middle English, Old English; ash ², -en ²

Example Sentences

As Jensen used a window screen to sift the safe’s ashen contents for diamonds and stones, his wife Dawn DaMart wandered the blackened foundation searching for tokens of the couple’s life before the Mountain fire.

From Los Angeles Times

We never see John at a doctor’s office, but we get a look at his packed medicine cabinet and we see him getting more ashen as the picture goes on.

From New York Times

Two years later, after seeds had been collected from similar trees on nearby lands, crews of planters came out with bags full of seedlings, rapidly plunking them into the ashen ground.

From New York Times

A serious incident investigation by the hospital recorded several "red flags" for sepsis had been present, including Mattheus's breathing rate, heart rate, low levels of oxygen in his blood and ashen appearance.

From BBC

Fluffy white blanketed a landscape telling the story of the quake — dark crumbled houses, ashen blocks of a city, highways with gaping holes and cracks.

From Seattle Times