Saturation
noun /ˌsætʃ.əˈreɪ.ʃən/ — The intensity or purity of a colour
Definition
The intensity or purity of a colour — the degree to which it is free of white, grey, or black. A fully saturated colour is as pure and vivid as possible; a desaturated colour is muted or grey.
Beyond the definition
Colour at its most itself. High saturation is colour that has not been diluted — it insists on its own existence. Low saturation is colour that has learned humility.
Origin & history
From Latin 'saturatio' (a filling to fullness) — from 'saturare' (to fill, to satisfy fully). Related to 'saturate', 'satiate', 'satisfy'. The fullness that leaves no room for addition.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The saturation of tropical colours — the absolute redness of certain flowers — is almost painful to look at for long.
Film noir desaturated the world — drained colour toward grey — to produce a visual correlate for moral ambiguity.
Digital photography allows infinite control of saturation; the difficult question is how much the world's colour actually contains.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Saturation” when the meaning fits your context: The intensity or purity of a colour — the degree to which it is free of white, grey, or black. A fully saturated colour is as pure and vivid as possible; a desaturated colour is muted or grey.
Synonyms
intensity, vividness, purity, richness, chroma
Antonyms
desaturation, muted, washed out
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Pigments on Palette
The palette shows thick, dense pigments that look pure and vivid, before being diluted or mixed with other colors.
The thick, vibrant quality of the pigment shows high saturation, representing the intensity of the color before it becomes muted or desaturated.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Saturation" mean?
Saturation is noun meaning: The intensity or purity of a colour. The intensity or purity of a colour — the degree to which it is free of white, grey, or black. A fully saturated colour is as pure and vivid as possible; a desaturated colour is muted or grey.
Where does the word "Saturation" come from?
From Latin 'saturatio' (a filling to fullness) — from 'saturare' (to fill, to satisfy fully). Related to 'saturate', 'satiate', 'satisfy'. The fullness that leaves no room for addition.