Contrast

Pronunciation

• nounUK IPA: /ˈkÉ’ntɹɑːst/US enPR: kŏn'trăst, IPA: /ˈkÉ‘nt(ʃ)ɹæst/
• verbUK IPA: /kÉ™nˈtrɑːst/US enPR: kÉ™ntrăst', IPA: /kÉ™nˈt(ʃ)ɹæst/, /ˈkÉ‘nt(ʃ)ɹæst/
• Rhymes: -ɑːst

Origin

From French contraster, from Italian contrastare ("to resist", "to withstand"), from Vulgar Latin, from Latin contra ("against") + stare ("to stand")

Full definition of contrast

Noun

1. (countable) A difference in lightness, brightness and/or hue between two colours that makes them more or less distinguishable.
2. (uncountable) The degree of this difference.The red and the orange don't have much contrast between them — I can hardly tell them apart.
3. (countable) A difference between two objects, people or concepts.Israel is a country of many contrasts.
4. (countable) A control on a television, etc, that adjusts the amount of contrast in the images being displayed.
5. (countable, uncountable, rhetoric) Antithesis.

Verb

1. (transitive) To set in opposition in order to show the difference or differences between.
2. (intransitive) To form a contrast.Foreground and background strongly contrast.
• LyellThe joints which divide the sandstone contrast finely with the divisional planes which separate the basalt into pillars.

Derived terms

• contrasting