pastel

/pæˈstɛl/

/ˈpæstəl/

Other forms: pastels

A pastel is a soft, pale color. If your favorite shades are light blue and pale pink, you can say that you prefer pastels.

Pastel is also an adjective describing a soft color, like a pastel shade of green or a pastel lavender dress. Another kind of pastel is the artist's crayon made of powdered pigments bound together in a solid stick, which produce soft, blended colors. Starting in the late 1800s, pastel was used to mean "soft shade" as well as "soft art medium." In French, pastel means "crayon."

Definitions of pastel

1. noun

   any of various pale or light colors
   type of:

   chromatic color, chromatic colour, spectral color, spectral colour

   a color that has hue
2. adjective

   delicate and pale in color
   “pastel pink”

   synonyms:

   light, light-colored

   (used of color) having a relatively small amount of coloring agent
3. adjective

   lacking in body or vigor
   “faded pastel charms of the naive music”

   synonyms:

   delicate

   exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury
4. noun

   a stick made of powdered pigment mixed with a water-soluble or oil-based binder and used for drawing
   type of:

   writing implement

   an implement that is used to write
5. noun

   the art or process of creating drawings with pastel sticks
   type of:

   art, artistic creation, artistic production

   the creation of beautiful or significant things
6. noun

   a drawing made with pastel sticks
   type of:

   drawing

   a representation of forms or objects on a surface by means of lines