Chromaticity
/ˌkroʊ.məˈtɪs.ə.ti/noun
The quality of a color's purity or saturation, independent of brightness.
Did you know?Chromaticity comes from the same ancient Greek root behind “chroma,” and in early Greek usage that root could refer broadly to color, complexion, and even bodily tinting — proof that humans have long treated color as something almost alive.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
chrôma
“Color; complexion; hue”
Late Greek
Greek
chrōmatikós
“Pertaining to color, especially in music and theory”
Late Latin
Latin
chromaticus
“Colored; belonging to color”
16th Century
English
chromatic
“Relating to color or to the chromatic scale in music”
20th Century
English
chromaticity
“The property of a color described by its hue and saturation rather than its brightness”
Explore more surprising origins