In literature the term “harlequin” has frequently been employed as a colorful adjective, evoking a vivid, patchwork spectrum reminiscent of the traditional motley costume. Authors use the idea of a “harlequin’s coat” to suggest a riot of brilliant, contrasting hues that patch together to create an arresting scene, as when a world is compared to the garish splendor of such a coat [1]. Likewise, descriptions of attire—a harlequin’s jacket or a dress patterned in alternating turquoise and gold—further reinforce that sense of playful exuberance and visual exuberance [2, 3]. In these cases, “harlequin” transcends its role as a character, becoming a metaphor for the dynamic interplay of color.
This tab, the new OneLook "color thesaurus", is a work in progress.
It draws from a data set of more than 2000 color names gathered from sources around the Web,
and an analysis of how they are referenced in English texts.
- Enter any color to explore similar colors, as well as objects and concepts associated with the color
in English texts.
Examples: lime green,
lavender.
- Enter any object or concept to see the colors associated with the object or concept in English texts,
as well as words that have a similar color profile. Examples: rage,
sun,
jeans,
royalty.
Some words, like "
peach", function as both a color name and an object; when you do a search for words like these, you will see both of the above sections.