pigment

UK: ˈpɪɡmənt | US: ˈpɪɡmənt

Definition

  1. n. a substance used for coloring or painting

  2. n. (biology) a natural coloring matter in animal or plant tissues

  3. vt. to add color or dye to something

Structure
pig <color (from Latin *pingere*, "to paint") + ment<noun suffix (denoting result or means)>
Etymology

The word "pigment" traces back to Latin pigmentum, derived from pingere ("to paint"). The root pig- reflects the act of applying color, while -ment transforms it into a noun indicating the material used for coloring. Over time, it expanded from artistic contexts to biological and industrial applications, retaining its core association with color.

Examples

  1. The artist mixed blue and yellow pigment to create green.

  2. Chlorophyll is the green pigment found in plants.

  3. Ancient Egyptians used natural pigments for their wall paintings.

  4. The lab synthesized a new light-resistant pigment for fabrics.

  5. She carefully applied pigment to the canvas with a fine brush.