four-color
UK[ˈfɔː kʌlə]US[ˈfɔr ˌkʌlər]
adj
Involving or using four colors, especially in printing or map-making.
adj
(of a theorem or problem) In graph theory, stating that any map can be colored using no more than four colors so that no two adjacent regions share the same color.
Morpheme Breakdown
four
color
four
number
color
hue
Etymology
The compound "four-color" is a transparent modern English formation, directly combining the cardinal number "four" with the noun "color." The word "four" descends from the Proto-Indo-European root kʷetwóres, which gave rise to the numeral across many Indo-European languages, signifying the specific quantity. "Color" traces back to the Latin color, whose root may be linked to the concept of covering or concealing, as pigment covers a surface. In specialized mathematical and printing contexts, this straightforward combination evolved to denote the specific constraint or process of utilizing exactly four distinct hues.
Analysis
Structure: four (number) + color (hue)
- four: From Old English fēower, of Proto-Germanic origin; related to Dutch vier and German vier, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin quattuor and Greek tessares. Functions as a numerical quantifier.
- color: From Old French colour, from Latin color, related to celare 'to hide, conceal' (as color conceals the surface). Functions as the core noun denoting hue or pigment.
Examples
The map was printed using a sophisticated four-color process.
The four-color theorem is a famous result in topological graph theory.
For this brochure, we need a four-color design to make the images pop.