yellow
/jɛlə/
The primary sense is a vivid, high-visibility color associated with sunlight, warmth, and energy. It often carries connotations of cheerfulness or caution (as in traffic signals). In a behavioral context, "yellow" is an old-fashioned, derogatory term for cowardice. It evokes the image of someone shrinking away from a challenge, contrasting sharply with "red," which symbolizes bravery. Medical usage refers specifically to jaundice, where the color serves as a diagnostic symptom rather than a decorative quality.
Uncountable when referring to the general color or a splash of paint on a canvas. Countable when referring to specific shades of the color (e.g., 'the different yellows of a sunset') or the medical condition involving jaundice.
💬Casual Conversation
DAVID THE YELLOW FOLDER IS GONE I THINK YOU TOOK IT
Mom, stop. I'm in a sync. Just look for it later.
Meanings
Cowardly; lacking courage.
"don't be yellow, fight back"
Collocations & Compounds
yellow fever
A serious infectious disease transmitted by mosquitoes, characterized by fever and jaundice.
He contracted yellow fever while in the tropics.
yellow pages
A telephone directory listing businesses, typically organized by category.
I looked up the number in the yellow pages.
yellow card
A warning given to a player in sports like soccer for misconduct.
The referee showed him a yellow card.
yellow-bellied
A colloquial term for cowardly.
He was too yellow-bellied to go bungee jumping.
yellow journalism
A type of newspaper reporting that emphasizes sensationalism over facts.
Critics accused the magazine of yellow journalism.
Idioms & Sayings
yellow-bellied
cowardly
He is too yellow-bellied to stand up for his friends.
Etymology
The word 'yellow' comes from the Old English word 'ġeolu' or 'ġeolwe', which meant 'yellow' in color. This Old English word is related to similar words in other Germanic languages, such as the Old Norse 'gulr', the Dutch 'geel', and the German 'gelb'. These, in turn, are believed to derive from a Proto-Germanic root 'gelwaz', which possibly stemmed from an even older Indo-European root 'ghel-', meaning 'to shine', 'to be bright', or 'to produce yellow'. This root is also the source of words like 'gold' and 'gleam'. The evolution of 'yellow' in English has been relatively straightforward, with minor phonetic changes over centuries, but its core meaning and form have remained consistent.