flāvus
The Latin word for yellow is flāvus. Wiktionary also lists gilvus.
Meaning: having yellow as its color (adj)
Ways to say it
| Latin | IPA |
|---|---|
| flāvus | |
| gilvus | [ˈɡɪɫ.wʊs] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈd͡ʒil.vus] (narrow) |
The adjective describes something that has yellow as its color. The related verb flāvescō means to become yellow or more yellow, and the word flāvus can also function as the noun for the color itself.
Which one should you use?
flāvus is the standard word for a bright, vibrant yellow. In contrast, gilvus is used to describe a more muted, pale or yellowish color.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender with the noun it modifies. While flāvus is the masculine form, use flāva for feminine nouns and flāvum for neuter nouns.
Did you know?
- The Latin word flāvus is the direct ancestor of the English word 'flavian', used to describe the dynasty of the Roman emperors who built the Colosseum.
- The word flāvus was frequently used in Roman poetry to describe golden hair, suggesting a bright and shining quality rather than just a pigment.
- While flāvus describes a bright yellow, the related word fulvus was often used to describe the tawny or reddish-yellow color of a lion's fur.
Examples in context
- Sol splendet flavusThe sun shines yellow
- Poma pallide luteaPale yellow apples
Example conversation
Gaius and Lucia are looking at a garden.
- GaiusVidesne hos flores flāvos?Do you see these yellow flowers?
- LuciaIta, pulchri sunt.Yes, they are beautiful.
- GaiusLucia, flāvus color mihi placet.Lucia, I like the color yellow.
- LuciaEgo quoque hoc amo.I love it too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yellow” translations and entries gilvus, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
