pastel
UK[ˈpæst(ə)l]US[pæˈstel]
n
A soft, pale, and delicate shade of a color.
n
A crayon made of powdered pigment bound with a nongreasy binder.
adj
(of a color) Pale and soft.
Morpheme Breakdown
paste
el
paste
dough, paste
el
diminutive suffix
Etymology
The word 'pastel' entered English in the 17th century from the French 'pastel', which itself derived from the Italian 'pastello', meaning a small roll of paste. The Italian term is a diminutive of 'pasta', meaning 'dough' or 'paste', tracing back to the Latin 'pasta' with the same meaning. This etymology reflects the original method of making pastel crayons, where powdered pigments were mixed into a paste-like binder. The modern meanings—referring both to the artistic medium and the soft, pale colors characteristic of it—logically evolved from the physical substance of the crayon to describe its typical visual effect.
Analysis
Structure: paste (dough, paste) + el (diminutive suffix)
paste (from Latin pasta 'dough, paste', via Italian pasta); el (a diminutive suffix of Italian origin, from Latin -ellus).
Examples
She decorated the nursery in soothing pastel shades.
The artist sketched the landscape with charcoal and pastel.
He prefers the pastel version of the painting to the more vibrant one.