cerulean

adjective

ce·​ru·​le·​an sə-ˈrü-lē-ən How to pronounce cerulean (audio)
: resembling the blue of the sky

Did you know?

Cerulean comes from Latin caeruleus, which means "dark blue" and is most likely from caelum, "sky."

Examples of cerulean in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Top 5 Women at the SAG Awards: The Devil Wears Prada Factor Hathaway leaned into an iconic moment — and color — from The Devil Wears Prada with her custom Versace gown for the SAG Awards, taking pleasure in talking up cerulean blue during the pre-show on the carpet. Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Feb. 2024 Streep wore, well, Prada; Blunt quoted the film; and Hathaway attended the event in… a cerulean blue gown. Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 27 Feb. 2024 In anticipation of the mini Devil Wears Prada reunion, Hathaway selected an archival Versace dress from 2018 in a stunning shade of—wait for it—cerulean blue. Sam Reed, Glamour, 25 Feb. 2024 This pair, with side slits, is now half-off, while this cerulean blue pair (cue Meryl Streep’s The Devil Wears Prada monologue) is 70 percent off. Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 23 Feb. 2024 But on one of our last days, the ashen sky cracked open to reveal fragments of a cerulean canvas. Celeste Moure, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Feb. 2024 Maldives Pristine beaches, remote private islands, overwater bungalows, and cerulean seas make the Maldives a bucket list destination for many. Judy Koutsky, Travel + Leisure, 1 Dec. 2023 On the news, a storm is given a name—the sea is hysterical, the sky pulsing cerulean and pink like a feast. Stav Poleg, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023 And don't worry, neither of the award-winning actresses wore cerulean. EW.com, 30 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cerulean.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin caeruleus dark blue

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cerulean was in 1599

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Dictionary Entries Near cerulean

Cite this Entry

“Cerulean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cerulean. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cerulean

adjective
ce·​ru·​le·​an sə-ˈrü-lē-ən How to pronounce cerulean (audio)
: colored blue like the sky

More from Merriam-Webster on cerulean

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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