Meaning & use
watercolor
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountable
a type of paint that is mixed with water and produces light, see-through colors
Grammar: Uncountable for the substance (a tube of watercolor) and countable for a set of paints (a box of watercolors).
Patterns
- paint in watercolor
- a set of watercolors
- watercolor paint
She paints flowers in watercolor.
He bought a small box of watercolors for the class.
Watercolor dries quickly, so you must work fast.
nouncountable
a picture made with this kind of paint
Grammar: Countable: a watercolor, two watercolors.
Patterns
- paint a watercolor
- an exhibition of watercolors
The gallery is showing watercolors by local artists.
He hung a watercolor of the harbor above the sofa.
Her watercolors of birds are delicate and bright.
adjectivebefore a noun
made with or relating to watercolor paint
Grammar: Comes before a noun: a watercolor sketch, watercolor paper.
Patterns
- watercolor painting
- watercolor paper
She teaches a watercolor class on Saturdays.
Use heavy watercolor paper to stop the paint from wrinkling.
Word forms
| plural | watercolors |
|---|
Common combinations
- paint in watercolor
- He likes to paint landscapes in watercolor.
- a watercolor painting
- A watercolor painting hung in the hallway.
- watercolor paper
- Buy thick watercolor paper for wet techniques.
- a set of watercolors
- The child opened a new set of watercolors.
- watercolor washes
- The artist built up soft watercolor washes.
Synonyms and how they differ
- aquarelle
- A formal or technical word for the same medium; watercolor is the everyday term.
- gouache
- Similar paint, but opaque rather than see-through, so it is not a true synonym.
Word family
- watercolorist noun
- an artist who works mainly in watercolor
Commonly confused: watercolor or water cooler? watercolor or oil paint?
watercolor vs water cooler
A water cooler is a machine that dispenses drinking water; it sounds similar but has nothing to do with painting.
watercolor vs oil paint
Oil paint is mixed with oil, not water, and gives thicker, slower-drying layers.
Practice
Which sentence uses "watercolor" correctly?
Choose one answer.
Watercolor is paint mixed with water and known for light, translucent layers, so the sea painting fits. The other options confuse it with oil paint, a water cooler, or water itself.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “watercolor”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.