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Synonyms

magenta

1 American  
[muh-jen-tuh] / məˈdʒɛn tə /

noun

  1. fuchsin.

  2. a purplish red.


Magenta 2 American  
[muh-jen-tuh] / məˈdʒɛn tə /

noun

  1. a town in N Italy, W of Milan: the French and Sardinians defeated the Austrians here 1859.


magenta British  
/ məˈdʒɛntə /

noun

    1. a deep purplish red that is the complementary colour of green and, with yellow and cyan, forms a set of primary colours

    2. ( as adjective )

      a magenta filter

  1. another name for fuchsin

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of magenta

After Magenta, because the dye was discovered the year of the battle.

Explanation

Magenta is a bright reddish-purple color. If you dye your hair magenta, you'll really stand out in a crowd. Magenta is a shade that's related to colors like fire engine-red and hot pink — it's deep and bold. The color called fuchsia is nearly the same, a mixture of red and blue that's across from green on a color wheel (in other words, green is magenta's complementary color). Magenta-colored dye was first produced in the 1850s, and the color was named after the 1859 "Battle of Magenta" in the Second Italian War of Independence.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing magenta

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.

Bold purple and magenta animations of galloping warriors silhouetted against rustling pines cover entire walls.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026

Wearing a purple, yellow and magenta colorblocked T-shirt, Okatsuka flashes aqua nails topped off with hot dog charms.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 26, 2025

All are Harlequins jerseys, but none are in the club's trademark colours of blue, magenta, brown and grey.

From BBC • Dec. 27, 2024

In 2022, this magenta state produced a balanced delegation of seven Republicans and seven Democrats, very likely a fair representation of voter preferences.

From Salon • Dec. 1, 2024

I turn to see Autumn, sprinting up the street with a newly donned magenta track jacket and a pair of Adidas sneakers.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer