cyan

1 of 2

noun

cy·​an ˈsī-ˌan How to pronounce cyan (audio)
-ən
: a greenish-blue color
used in photography and color printing of one of the primary colors

cyan-

2 of 2

combining form

variants or cyano-
1
: dark blue : blue
cyanobacterium
2
: cyanogen
cyanide
3
: cyanide
cyanogenetic

Examples of cyan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Greens and yellows fall just a bit short of fully covering the DCI-P3 color space, and cyans lean a bit green, but performance is still excellent. PCMAG, 30 May 2024 The state-of-the-art LEDs distill a shadowless light that also moves through certain shades such as cyans and magentas that your eyes perceive but your phone camera can’t differentiate. Siddhartha Mitter, New York Times, 10 May 2024 In both cases whites are spot-on, and colors are balanced even if cyans run just slightly blue. PCMAG, 26 Mar. 2024 The essie Nail Polish in off-beat chic is a gorgeous cyan that is actually long-lasting. Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cyan 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Greek kyanos

Combining form

German, from Greek kyan-, kyano-, from kyanos dark blue enamel

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cyan was circa 1889

Dictionary Entries Near cyan

Cite this Entry

“Cyan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cyan. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

cyan

noun
cy·​an ˈsī-ˌan How to pronounce cyan (audio)
-ən
: a greenish blue

More from Merriam-Webster on cyan

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!