Mustard
A muted yellow shade named after the condiment
Mustard is a dark, muted yellow that takes its name from the colour of prepared mustard. It first appeared as a colour name in English in 1886. Mustard sits close to flax in appearance and is known for its use in games and contests, such as the pawn for Colonel Mustard in Cluedo and the winner's belt at Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.
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- Mustard is a muted, dark yellow shade.
- The name comes from the colour of prepared mustard.
- First used as a colour name in English in 1886.
- Colonel Mustard in Cluedo is marked by this colour.
- The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest winner's belt is mustard-coloured.
What colour is Mustard?
Mustard is a yellow shade that appears darker and less bright than most yellows. Its look is based on the colour of the mustard condiment, giving it a brownish, earthy tone. It stands apart from other yellows by being more subdued and is close in appearance to the colour called flax.
Where does Mustard come from?
The name 'mustard' for this colour comes from the familiar spread made from mustard seeds. The first known use of the word to describe a colour in English dates back to 1886. The shade was chosen for its clear link to the look of the condiment.
Where Mustard is used
Mustard is recognised in popular culture, such as in the board game Cluedo, where Colonel Mustard is marked by a pawn of this colour. It also appears as the colour of the winner's belt in Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, showing up in playful and competitive settings.
Yellow around the world
What the yellow family means from country to country.
The yellow disc of the Aboriginal flag is the sun, giver of life. The flag was designed by the Luritja artist Harold Thomas and first flown in Adelaide in 1971.
Sacred and holySource: Australian Aboriginal flagAt the gaye holud, held a day or two before a wedding, relatives rub turmeric paste on the bride and groom. Guests dress in yellow and orange.
Weddings and marriageFestival and celebrationJoySource: Gaye holudOn Pohela Falgun, the first day of spring, young women wear yellow and orange saris, a shade called basanti, with flowers in their hair.
Festival and celebrationNature and renewalJoySource: Pohela FalgunThe Flemish flag is a black lion on yellow, and the Walloon flag a red cockerel on yellow. The language communities are often shown by these colours.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of FlandersThe flag is yellow, the colour of the Sultan. By custom, ordinary people did not wear yellow in the ruler's presence.
Royalty and powerPrideSource: Flag of BruneiThe national football team plays in a yellow shirt with green trim, the canarinho. It was chosen in a newspaper contest after the 1950 World Cup final was lost in white.
Festival and celebrationPrideJoySource: Brazil national football teamShades and relatives of Mustard
Mustard is close to the colour called flax, which is another muted yellow. In some contexts, 'mustard' may refer to a lighter or darker shade, but it is generally a dull yellow with brownish tones.
Colours that go with Mustard
Harmonies are worked out from the value #FFDB58. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Mustard
What colour is mustard?
Mustard is a dark, muted yellow shade that looks similar to the colour of the mustard condiment.
Where does the name 'mustard' for this colour come from?
The name comes from the yellow-brown colour of prepared mustard, a common condiment.
When was 'mustard' first used as a colour name in English?
The first recorded use of 'mustard' as a colour name in English was in 1886.
What is mustard used for in popular culture?
Mustard is used for the pawn of Colonel Mustard in Cluedo and as the colour of the winner's belt at Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Good reading and sources
- Mustard (color) on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More pictures on Wikimedia CommonsPictures
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Mustard (color)", 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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