Colour words in Polish

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czarny [ˈtʂar.nɘ] - black, dark

Etymology: from Old Polish czarny (black), from Proto-Slavic *čь̀rnъ (black, dark, dirty), from Proto-Indo-European *kr̥snós (black, dark, dusty) [source].

Related words

• czarniawy [tʂarˈɲa.vɘ] - blackish
• czernidło [tʂɛrˈɲi.dwɔ] - blacking
• czernić [ˈtʂɛr.ɲitɕ] - to blacken, to be conspicuously black
• czarno na białym - black and white, clear as day

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biały [ˈbja.wɘ] - white, pale

Etymology: from Old Polish biały (white), from Proto-Slavic *bě̃lъ (white, bright, clear, clean), from Proto-Indo-European *bhel- (to blaze, to burn, bright flame, fire, shiny, white) [source].

Related words

• białawy [bjaˈwa.vɘ] - whitish, off-white
• bielaczy [bjɛˈla.tʂɘ] - albino, albinism
• bielizna [bjɛˈliz.na] - underwear, lingerie, whites (linen, especially laundry, that is white)
• bieleć [ˈbjɛ.lɛtɕ] - to whiten, to go gray (of hair)

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czerwony [tʂɛrˈvɔ.nɘ] - red

Etymology: from Old Polish czerwony (red, hyacinth, dyed red, rust, sorrel), from Proto-Slavic *čьrvenъ (red), from *čьrviti (to dye red), from *čьrvь (worm, lava), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *kírmis (worm), from Proto-Indo-European *kwŕ̥mis (worm. larva, grub, maggot) [source].

Related words

• czerwonawy - reddish
• czerwoność - reddness
• czerwononosy - red-nosed
• czerwienić - to redden, to be conspicuously red
• czerwienieć - to redden, to blush
• podczerwień - infrared

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żółty [ˈʐuw.tɘ] - yellow

Etymology: from Old Polish żółty (yellow), from Proto-Slavic *žь̑ltъ (yellow), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *gilˀtás (yellow), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵhelh3- (green, yellow) [source].

Related words

• żółtawy [ʐuwˈta.vɘ] - yellowish
• żółtość [ˈʐuw.tɔɕtɕ] - yellowness
• żółcić [ˈʐuw.tɕitɕ] - to make yellow
• żółknąć [ˈʐuwk.nɔɲtɕ] - to yellow
• żółciowy [ʐuwˈtɕɔ.vɘ] - bile, bilious
• żółtko [ˈʐuwt.kɔ] - (egg) yolk
• żółtodziób [ʐuwˈtɔ.dʑup] - novice, rookie, inexperienced person (“yellow beak”)

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niebieski [ɲɛˈbjɛs.ki] - blue, azure, celestial

Etymology: from Old Polish niebieśski, from Proto-Slavic *nebesьskъ (celestial, heavenly), from *nebò (sky, heaven) from Proto-Balto-Slavic *nébas (cloud, sky), from Proto-Indo-European *nébhos (cloud, mist, moisture) [source].

Related words

• niebieskozielony - cyan, blue-green
• niebieszczeć [ɲɛˈbjɛʂ.tʂɛtɕ] - to turn blue, to become blue
• niebieszczenie - blueing
• niebieskawy - blueish
• niebiosa - the heavens

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zielony [ʑɛˈlɔ.nɘ] - green, new

Etymology: from Proto-Slavic *zelenъ (green), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *źelˀtei (yellow), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵhelh3- (green, yellow) [source].

Related words

• zazielenić [za.ʑɛˈlɛ.ɲitɕ] - to make green, to plant a lot of plants, to go green, to turn green, to come into leaf
• zielenić [ʑɛˈlɛ.ɲitɕ] - to go green, to turn green
• zioło [ˈʑɔ.wɔ] - herb
• ciemnozielony [tɕɛm.nɔ.ʑɛˈlɔ.nɘ] - dark green

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brązowy [brɔw̃ˈzɔ.vɘ] - brown

Etymology: from Proto-Slavic *zelenъ (green), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *źelˀtei (yellow), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵhelh3- (green, yellow) [source].

Related words

• brąz [ˈbrɔw̃s] - brown, bronze (metal alloy)
• brązowawy [brɔw̃.zɔˈva.vɘ] - brownish, russet
• brązować [brɔw̃ˈzɔ.vatɕ] - to bronze, to plate with bronze, to idealize
• brązowieć [brɔw̃ˈzɔ.vjɛtɕ] - to turn/go brown
• brązowoszary - taupe

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różowy [ruˈʐɔ.vɘ] - pink, rose, rosy, pinkish

Etymology: from róża (rose), from Middle High German rōse (rose), from Old High German rōsa (rose), from Latin rosa (rose), probably from Ancient Greek ῥόδον (rhódon - rose) [source].

Related words

• różowawy [ru.ʐɔˈva.vɘ] - pinkish
• w różowych barwach - with high hopes, optimistically (“in pink colours”)
• wino różowe - rosé wine

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pomarańczowy [pɔ.ma.raɲˈtʂɔ.vɘ] - orange (colour / fruit), tangerine (colour)

Etymology: from pomarańcza (orange), from Italian pomarancia (sweet orange), pomo (apple) and arancia (orange) [source].

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szary [ˈɬʊɨ̯d/ˈɬʊi̯d] - grey, ashen, pallid, sallow, colourless, drab, dreay, dull, sunless, dark, gloomy, overcast, average, mediocre

Etymology: from Old Polish szary (grey), from Proto-Slavic *śěrъ (celestial, heavenly), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *śáiˀras [source].

Related words

• szarawy [ʂaˈra.vɘ] - greyish
• szarak [ˈʂa.rak] - someone who is very average and unremarkable
• szarość [ˈʂa.rɔɕtɕ] - grey, greyish, half-light, cloudiness, dreariness, melancholy
• szarzeć [ˈʂa.ʐɛtɕ] - to turn grey

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srebrny [ˈsrɛbr.nɘ] - silver, silvery

Etymology: from srebro (silver), from Old Polish śrzebro (silver), from Proto-Slavic *sьrebrȍ (silver), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *sirabras (silver) [source].

Related words

• srebrzysty [srɛˈbʐɘs.tɘ] - silvery, silver
• srebrzystość [srɛˈbʐɘs.tɔɕtɕ] - silverness
• srebrzyć [ˈsrɛ.bʐɘtɕ] - to silver

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złoto [ˈzwɔ.tɔ] - gold

Etymology: from srebro (silver), from Old Polish złoto (gold), from Proto-Slavic *zolto (gold), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵhelh3- (green, yellow) [source].

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Other colours

• beżowy [bɛˈʐɔ.vɘ] - beige
• błękitny [bwɛŋˈkit.nɘ] - sky blue
• cyjan [ˈtsɘ.jan] - cyan
• fuksja [ˈfuk.sja] - fuchsia (purplish-red colour)
• indygo [inˈdɘ.ɡɔ] - indigo (colour)
• karmazyn [karˈma.zɘn] - crimson
• limonkowy [li.mɔŋˈkɔ.vɘ] - lime (colour)
• magenta [maˈɡɛn.ta] - magenta (pinkish purple color)
• miętowy [mjɛnˈtɔ.vɘ] - mint (colour)
• morski [ˈmɔr.ski] - sea blue, teal
• purpurowy [pur.puˈrɔ.vɘ] - reddish-purple, magenta

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