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pigment

Primary Information
Secondary Information

Definition

The pigment is a substance that gives colour to other materials. It is made up of tiny particles that absorb some wavelengths of light and reflect others. The reflected wavelengths are what we see as colour.

Here are some examples of pigments:

  • Chlorophyll: The pigment that gives plants their green colour. It absorbs sunlight and uses it to make food.
  • Carotene: The pigment that gives carrots and tomatoes their orange colour. It is also an antioxidant that can protect our cells from damage.
  • Haemoglobin: The pigment that gives blood its red colour. It carries oxygen throughout the body.

How can the word be used?

The artist used a variety of pigments to create the painting.

pigment

Different forms of the word

Noun:

  • pigment (a substance that gives colour to other materials).
  • pigmentation (the process of giving colour to something).

Verb:

  • pigment (to give colour to something).

Etymology

The word "pigment" comes from the Latin word "pigmentum", which also means "colouring matter".

The word "pigment" was first used in English in the 14th century. It was used to refer to any substance that could be used to give colour to something.

The root of the word "pigment" is the Latin word "pingere", which means "to paint". The word "pingere" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *peig-, which also means "to paint".

So, the word "pigment" literally means "something that is used to paint". This is a reference to the fact that pigments are used to give colour to things, such as paints, dyes, and cosmetics.

Question

What is pigment?