pink
UK[pɪŋk]US[pɪŋk]
n
a pale red color
n
a garden plant with sweet-smelling pink, white, or red flowers
adj
of a pale red color
Etymology
The origin of the word 'pink' for the color is not definitively known. One prominent theory suggests it derives from the common name of the Dianthus flower, the 'pink', whose fringed petals appear as if they were 'pinked' (cut with a scalloped or notched edge). The verb 'to pink' in this tailoring sense comes from a Middle English word. Thus, the color name likely transferred from the flower, which itself was named for the characteristic shape of its petals. The word's journey exemplifies how a term for a specific visual detail (a type of cut) can evolve into a general name for a hue.
Analysis
The word 'pink' is a simplex word of uncertain origin. It is not productively formed from smaller, meaningful morphemes in modern English.
Examples
She painted her room a soft shade of pink.
He gave her a bouquet of carnations and pinks.
The evening sky turned a beautiful pink.