Glaucous
A pale blue-grey colour seen on some plants and birds
Glaucous is a pale blue-grey or bluish-green colour, first recorded as a colour name in 1671. The word comes from Latin and Ancient Greek, and is often used to describe the waxy, greyish coating on certain fruits and leaves, as well as the plumage of some birds.
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- First recorded as a colour name in 1671
- Describes the waxy coating on plums and grapes
- Seen in the blue-grey feathers of some birds
- Name comes from Latin and Ancient Greek words for blue-grey
What colour is Glaucous?
Glaucous is a colour that sits between pale blue-grey and bluish-green. It is commonly seen as the soft, muted tone on the surface of some fruits and leaves, where a waxy layer gives them a distinctive, easily rubbed-off bloom. The same word is used for the blue-grey feathers of certain birds. Glaucous stands out for its subtle, cool appearance, different from brighter blues or greens.
Where does Glaucous come from?
The name glaucous comes from the Latin 'glaucus', which itself comes from the Ancient Greek 'glaukós', meaning blue-green or blue-grey. The term was first used to describe colour in English in 1671. Originally, it described not just colour but also the waxy or powdery coating on plants and fruits, as well as the plumage of some birds.
Where Glaucous is used
In botany, glaucous describes the pale, waxy coating found on the skin of plums, grapes, and some cacti. This coating helps prevent water from sticking to the surface and can deter small insects from climbing. In zoology, glaucous refers to the blue-grey camouflage of some birds and animals, helping them blend into their surroundings. The colour is also referenced in medicine, where the term 'glaucoma' comes from the bluish-green or grey look of the affected eye.
Blue around the world
What the blue family means from country to country.
Lapis lazuli has been mined in the mountains of Badakhshan for more than six thousand years. Ground to powder it gave ultramarine, the costliest blue in European painting.
Royalty and powerSacred and holyAweSource: Lapis lazuliThe chadari is a full-length covering for women with a mesh panel over the eyes. In Kabul and the north it is most often a light blue.
Protection and healingSource: BurqaThe blue band of the flag stands for the wish of the Armenian people to live under peaceful skies. The red above it is for the highlands and the struggle to survive.
Politics and protestHopeSource: Flag of ArmeniaThe flag is sky blue, white and sky blue, created by Manuel Belgrano in 1812. National teams are called the Albiceleste, the white and sky blue.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of ArgentinaBoca Juniors play in blue and gold. The club's story is that in 1907 it took the colours of the flag of the next ship into port, which was Swedish.
Festival and celebrationPrideSource: Boca JuniorsTo be true blue is to be honestly and loyally Australian. The phrase is older than the country, but Australians have made it their own.
Politics and protestTrustSource: True Blue (John Williamson song)Shades and relatives of Glaucous
Glaucous is related to other pale blue-greys and blue-greens, but is distinct for its association with natural waxy coatings. It is sometimes confused with similar shades like moderate blue, but its use in botany and zoology gives it a more specific meaning.
Colours that go with Glaucous
Harmonies are worked out from the value #6082B6. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Glaucous
What colour is glaucous?
Glaucous is a pale blue-grey or bluish-green colour, often seen on the surface of some fruits, leaves, and the feathers of certain birds.
Where does the name glaucous come from?
The word glaucous comes from Latin 'glaucus', which is from Ancient Greek 'glaukós', meaning blue-green or blue-grey.
What are examples of glaucous in nature?
Glaucous describes the waxy, pale coating on plums, grapes, and some cacti, and the blue-grey colouring of birds like the glaucous gull.
When was glaucous first used as a colour name in English?
The first recorded use of glaucous as a colour name in English was in 1671.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Glaucous", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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