coloration, colouration
(kɒləˈreɪʃən, kʌlə-)
[a. F. coloration (16th c.), ad. L. *colōrātiōn-em, n. of action f. colōrāre to colour: see -ation.]
1. gen. The action or mode of colouring; coloured state or condition, colouring: spec. the particular combination or arrangement of colours in animals or plants.
| 1626 Bacon Sylva §399 (heading) Experiment solitary touching the Coloration of black and tawny Moors. Ibid. (1651) §506 Amongst Curiosities, I shall place Colouration, though it be somewhat better: For Beauty in Flowers is their Preheminence. 1677 Plot Oxfordsh. 150 The different colorations..of some of these flowers. 1837 Whewell Hist. Induct. Sc. (1857) II. 213 The coloration of the image produced. 1880 A. R. Wallace Isl. Life i. iv. 64 Said to differ..in their note..as well as in colouration. |
2. Colouring in architecture or decoration.
| 1861 A. Beresford-Hope Eng. Cathedr. 19th C. vii. 250 This movement for ‘polychromatic architecture’, or for ‘constructive coloration’. 1862 Parthenon 26 July 400 Every trace of ‘coloration’ has disappeared; although this must have been lavishly employed. |
b. Colouring as characteristic of a painter or painting.
| 1879 Athenæum 5 Apr. 445/3. 1883 Times 10 Aug. 2/4 The dignity of the forms and the depth of the colouration. 1887 Athenæum 31 Dec. 900/2 The wealthy coloration and tonality of Walker. |
3. (See quots.)
| 1612 Woodall Surg. Mate Wks. (1653) 269 Coloration is, whereby the perfect colour of gold, silver, Philosophers head, etc. obscured by any sulphurious vapour, is renovated and illustrated by maceration, frequent ablution, in sharp liquor, etc. 1731 Bailey vol. II, Coloration, in Pharmacy, the changes of colour which bodies undergo, by the various operations either of nature or art, as by calcinations, coctions, etc. 1823 Crabb Technol. Dict., Coloration, the brightening of gold or silver. |