English · Idiom Historical

complementary colours

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

Colours which, in combination, produce white light. The colour transmitted is always complementary to the one reflected.

Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)

Sources & notes

Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.

Topics: Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “complementary colours” mean?

Colours which, in combination, produce white light. The colour transmitted is always complementary to the one reflected.

Is “complementary colours” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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