Xanthic
A yellow shade named for its link to xanthic acids and Greek roots
Xanthic is a yellow colour whose name comes from the Greek word for yellow or golden. It matches the colour seen in xanthine and xanthate, which are both types of xanthic acids.
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- Xanthic is a bright yellow shade.
- The name comes from Greek and Latin roots for yellow.
- It matches the colour of xanthine and xanthate acids.
What colour is Xanthic?
Xanthic is a shade of yellow. The colour is bright and has a strong yellow tone, similar to the look of some chemical compounds. It stands out from other yellows by its link to xanthic acids, which gives it a distinct, almost lemon-like appearance.
Where does Xanthic come from?
The word xanthic comes from the Greek 'xantho', which means yellow or golden. The ending 'ic' is from a Latin suffix meaning 'of or relating to'. The colour is named for its resemblance to xanthine and xanthate, both known as xanthic acids.
How Xanthic is defined
Xanthic is not a pigment or dye but a colour name. It is defined by its similarity to the yellow shade seen in xanthine and xanthate, which are chemical compounds.
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 Xanthic
Xanthic is closely related to other yellow shades but is set apart by its chemical reference. It may be confused with other bright yellows but is specifically tied to the colour of xanthic acids.
Colours that go with Xanthic
Harmonies are worked out from the value #EEED09. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Xanthic
What colour is xanthic?
Xanthic is a bright yellow shade, similar to the colour of xanthic acids like xanthine and xanthate.
Where does the name xanthic come from?
The name comes from the Greek word 'xantho' for yellow or golden, with the Latin suffix 'ic' meaning 'of or relating to'.
Is xanthic a pigment or dye?
No, xanthic is a colour name and not a pigment or dye. It refers to the yellow seen in certain chemical compounds.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Shades of yellow" (the section "Xanthic"), written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. 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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