Pastel
/pæˈstɛl/noun
A soft, pale color or a drawing medium made of powdered pigment and a binder.
Did you know?The word comes from Latin and Italian terms for a small paste-like lump of colored material, which is why the earliest meaning was the art object itself, not the soft color we think of today.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
pasta
“Dough, paste, or a soft mass”
Medieval Latin
Latin
pastellum
“A small paste or pellet of colored material”
Old French
Old French
pastel
“A small stick or tablet of artist's color; also the plant woad”
16th Century
English
pastel
“A stick of colored chalk or crayon used in drawing”
Modern English
English
pastel
“A soft, pale color or a drawing medium made of powdered pigment and a binder”