achromatic etymology

Etymology

The word "achromatic" is derived from two Greek words:

• "a-" (ἄ-) meaning "without" or "not"
• "chroma" (χρῶμα) meaning "color"

Meaning and Origin

The term "achromatic" refers to something that lacks color or that is devoid of hue, saturation, or brightness. In the context of color theory, achromatic colors are black, white, and shades of gray.

The use of the term "achromatic" can be traced back to the 17th century. In his book "Tractatus de Luce et Umbra" (1650), the Italian physicist Francesco Maria Grimaldi described the absence of color in shadows as "achromatism."

Usage

The term "achromatic" is commonly used in a variety of fields, including:

• Art: To describe works that use only black, white, and gray tones.
• Photography: To describe images that lack color or that are converted to black and white.
• Optics: To describe lenses or systems that transmit light without introducing color distortions.
• Medicine: To describe conditions or symptoms related to the absence or inability to perceive colors (achromatopsia).

achromatic relate terms

• chromatic

  Etymology The word chromatic comes from the Greek word khroma which means color T

• chroma

  Etymology The word chroma is derived from the Greek word khroma meaning color M

• abysmal

  Etymology The word abysmal derives from the Greek word abyssos which means bottoml

• adamant

  Etymology The word adamant comes from the Greek word adamas which means unconquerabl

• amethyst

  Etymology Greek ἀμέθυστος amethystos meaning not drunk Meaning and Or

• amoral

  Etymology amoralis Latin a prefix meaning without moralis Latin meaning mora

• agnostic

  Etymology From Ancient Greek ἀ a without γνῶσις gnōsis knowledge

• acolyte

  Etymology From Middle English acolite from Old French acolit from Ecclesiastical Lati

• acoustic

  Etymology The word acoustic is derived from the Greek word akouein which means to

• Adelphi

• neutral

  Etymology The word neutral comes from the Latin word neuter which means neither on

• charge

  Etymology The word charge comes from the Old French word carge which in turn derives

• laugh

  Etymology The word laugh comes from the Middle English word laghchen which in turn d

• blackmail

  Etymology The word blackmail is derived from the Middle English phrase blake male

• anecdote

  Etymology French anecdote unpublished or private story Late Latin anekdotos unpubli

• decide

  Etymology Decide derived from the Latin verb decidere which means to cut off to

• guinea

  Etymology The word guinea has a complex etymology with multiple possible origins 1

• loop

  Etymology The word loop comes from the Middle English word lope which in turn comes

• camouflage

  Etymology Camouflage comes from the French word camoufler meaning to disguise onese

• sentence

  Etymology The word sentence comes from the Latin word sententia meaning opinion j