Colours of the Rainbow and Many More Beautiful Shades
How many colours are there in a rainbow? If you Google that question, most sources will say seven: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, but I only see six. Where did indigo come from?
We See What We Are Taught
When I was a child growing up in Canada many years ago, I was taught in elementary school that there were six colours in the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. Okay, they changed purple to violet, but that’s just a shade of purple. But now, all of a sudden, there are seven colours. Sorry, I don’t see it, but somehow, indigo snuck its way in there. There isn’t agreement on whether indigo is closer to blue or purple, but still, it gets credit for being part of the rainbow.
When I was under the belief that the rainbow consisted of six colours, it made sense to me because there are three primary colours and three secondary colours. And voila, there you have it. Six colours in the rainbow. What am I going to do with this seventh colour? I will ignore it; that’s what I’m going to do. It’s the reverse of the Pluto situation; first, Pluto was a planet, and then it wasn’t. Indigo wasn’t a colour in the rainbow, and now it is. Well, not in my rainbow it isn’t. Anyway, let’s talk about primary and secondary colours and more.
Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Colours
There are three primary colours: red, yellow, and blue. You can mix these primary colours to create secondary colours. The table below shows how primary colours combine to make secondary colours.
How to Create Secondary Colours
| Primary Colour | + | Primary Colour | = | Secondary Colour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| red (#ff0000) | + | yellow (#ffff00) | = | orange (#ffa500) |
| yellow (#ffff00) | + | blue (#0000ff) | = | green (#00ff00) |
| blue (0000ff) | + | red (#ff0000) | = | purple (#008000) |
There are also three secondary colours: orange, green, and violet. You can mix primary and secondary colours to create tertiary colours. There are six tertiary colours, as seen below.
How to Create Tertiary Colours
| Primary Colour | + | Secondary Colour | = | Tertiary Colour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| red (#ff0000) | + | orange (#ffa500) | = | red-orange (#ff5349) |
| yellow (#ffff00) | orange (#ffa500) | yellow-orange (ffae42) | ||
| yellow (#ffff00) | green (#00ff00) | yellow-green (#9acd32) | ||
| blue (#0000ff) | green (#00ff00) | blue-green (#0d98ba) | ||
| blue (#0000ff) | purple (#008000) | blue-purple (#acace6) | ||
| red (#ff0000) | purple (#008000) | red-purple (#e40078) |
So far, we’ve looked at twelve colours: three primary, three secondary, and six tertiary. But is that all there is? Of course not. Eight more colours are indispensable for basic knowledge of colour vocabulary in English. These are in alphabetic order for no particular reason: black (#00000), brown (#964b00), gold (#ffd700), gray or grey (#808080), pink (#ffc0cb), silver (#c0c0c0), sky blue (87ceeb) and white (#ffffff). I couldn’t write white in white, or it would disappear into the off-white background.
Now, you have 20 new words in your English vocabulary. I’m sure that’s more than you will ever need in day-to-day conversation unless you’re an artist.
I have a question for you to consider for the rest of this essay. Does our ability to differentiate colours have anything to do with the native language that we speak? I would appreciate any comments you have on this topic.
*** The numbers behind each colour above are called “hexadecimal colour codes”. They are used to determine specific colours used on any website. Click here to see a listing of these codes with accompanying colour swatches.
More Colours
How colours get their names is interesting. The names of the 20 colours above have long been established. However, what about other shades? There is an infinite number of colours in the colour spectrum. How do these different colours get their names? Well, it is quite a commercial enterprise. A group of people sit in an office designating names to crayons and pencil crayons.
Jenny collects crayons. On her website, Jenny’s Crayon Collection, Jenny has done a lot of work to list 120 Crayola crayon colours, including a colour swatch and other information for each colour. Check out Jenny’s website here to find your favourite-coloured crayon. Check out the names. Do the names suit the colours?
And Even More Colours
Are Jenny’s 120 colours a lot? Not in the grand scheme of colours. The number of colours you can produce on a computer is infinite. However, the difference in shades of the vast majority of these colours would be imperceptible to the human eye and any computer printer. So, really, what’s the point? As mentioned earlier, the 20 colours above are enough for you to learn and remember.
And Now For Your Listening Enjoyment
Let’s end this essay with the unmistakable vocal stylings of Kermit the Frog and the Muppets singing Rainbow Connection.
Lyrics
"Rainbow Connection" recorded by Kermit the Frog and the Muppets (1979) written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Asche Why are there so many songs about rainbows, And what's on the other side? Rainbows are visions but only illusions, And rainbows have nothing to hide. So we've been told, and some choose to believe it. I know they're wrong; wait and see. Some day, we'll find it, the Rainbow Connection. The lovers, the dreamers, and me. Who said that every wish would be heard and answered When wished on the morning star? Somebody thought of that, and someone believed it. Look what it's done so far. What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing? And what do we think we might see? Someday, we'll find it, the Rainbow Connection. The lovers, the dreamers, and me. All of us under its spell; We know that it's probably magic! Have you been half asleep, and have you heard voices? I've heard them calling my name. Is it the sweet sound that calls the young sailors? The voice might be one and the same! I've heard it too many times to ignore it. It's something that I'm supposed to be! Someday, we'll find it, the Rainbow Connection. The lovers, the dreamers, and me. La da da de, da da do. La la, la la la de da do!
The above essay is for entertainment and English language study only. For suggestions on how to use this post to improve your English reading and listening comprehension, click here.
Vocabulary
- snuck – past and past participle of sneak; add quietly and secretly; add in without anyone knowing
- primary – adjective; of the first importance; most important
- secondary – adjective; second in rank, sequence, importance, etc. to what is primary; second most important
- tertiary – adjective; third in order of rank, etc.; third most important
- swatches – noun; samples, esp. of cloth, fabric, or paint colours; small but exact sample strips
- commercial – adjective; of, engaged in, or concerned with, commerce; having profit as a primary aim; for the purpose of making money
- enterprise – noun; an undertaking, esp. a bold or difficult one; a job or purpose
- designating – transitive verb; to give a name or title to; to give a name to something
- Crayola – proper noun; brand name of crayons, pencil crayons, poster paints, etc.; brand name for art supplies, especially for school
- infinite – adjective; endless, very great, innumerable, very many; a very large number; too many to count
- imperceptible – adjective; that can not be perceived; very slight, gradual, or subtle; unable to see the difference
Essential Colour Vocabulary to Remember
| Primary | Secondary | Tertiary | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| red (#ff0000) | orange (#ffa500) | red-orange (#ff5349) | black (#00000) |
| yellow (#ffff00) | green (#00ff00) | yellow-orange (ffae42) | brown (#964b00) |
| blue (0000ff) | purple (#008000) | yellow-green (#9acd32) | gold (#ffd700) |
| blue-green (#0d98ba) | gray or grey (#808080) | ||
| blue-purple (#acace6) | pink (#ffc0cb) | ||
| silver (#c0c0c0) | |||
| sky blue (87ceeb) | |||
| white (#ffffff) |
Comprehension Questions
- How many colours are there in the rainbow?
(a) one big one, (b) six, (c) seven, or (d) an infinite number - What did the sixth colour of the rainbow used to be?
(a) red, (b) orange, (c) yellow, (d) green, (e) blue, or (f) purple - What is the sixth colour now in the new and improved seven-colour rainbow?
(a) red, (b) orange, (c) yellow, (d) green, (e) blue, of (f) indigo, or (g) violet - How many primary colours are there?
(a) one, (b) two, (c) three, or (d) four - How many secondary colours are there?
(a) four, (b) three, (c) two, or (d) one - How many tertiary colours are there?
(a) three, (b) six, (c) nine, or (d) twelve - What is the colour at the top of the rainbow?
(a) red, (b) white, (c) blue, or (d) black - What is the colour at the bottom of the rainbow?
(a) red, (b) pink, (c) white, or (d) violet - What is your favourite colour?
- What is the favourite colour of your significant other?
Resources
- Introduction to Color Theory: Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Colors
