Colorful

Alternative forms

• colourful Commonwealth English

Origin

color + -ful

Full definition of colorful

Adjective

1. Possessing prominent and varied colors.
• 1895, The Annual of the British School at AthensIt was a colourful vase with red and white hoops on the lid, and red bands above and below the main frieze. These bands also carry a metope pattern in white of triple lines and blobs, which can just be distinguished on the photographs.
2. Interesting, multifaceted, energetic, distinctive.
• 1895, H. Walter Staner and Henry Sturmey, The Autocar, One of the most colourful people in motor racing, he writes in a colourful manner.
3. (euphemistic) Profane, obscene, offensive (usually in the phrase colourful language).
• 2002, news.bbc.co.ukHussain celebrated reaching his ton with a gesture towards the media centre, pointing to the number three on the back of his shirt and offering some colourful language.