pallor
gb/pˈælɚ/ us/pˈælɚ/
C1
English
~ 9500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
C1
state
1
unnatural paleness of the skin
A very light color in someone’s skin, often because they are sick, afraid, or very tired.
Usage pattern:
the pallor of [someone's] face
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *pallor* like an adjective (e.g., *He looks pallor*). This is incorrect. *Pallor* is a noun, so you should say *his pallor*, *her pallor*, or *the pallor of his face*. Learners may also confuse it with the common adjective *pale*; *pale* describes the skin directly, while *pallor* is the condition or quality of being pale.
Synonyms
paleness (More general and common; can refer to color in many things, not just skin or illness.)
|
wan look (Focuses on a weak, tired appearance as a whole, not only on skin color.)
|
ashen complexion (Suggests a gray, shocked, or extremely ill appearance; more intense than 'pallor'.)
Antonyms
rosiness (Emphasizes a healthy pink color in the skin, the opposite of sickly paleness.)
|
flush (A sudden red color in the face, often from emotion or heat, contrasting with paleness.)
Collocations
deathly pallor
|sudden pallor
|unhealthy pallor
|ghostly pallor
|pallor of his face
|her pallor
Themes
health
|appearance
|medicine
|body
Examples
- The doctor noticed the sudden pallor of his face and called for a chair before he fainted.
- Her usual healthy glow had been replaced by a grayish pallor after the long illness.
- He tried to smile, but the pallor around his lips showed how much pain he was in.
- As the news sank in, a noticeable pallor spread across her cheeks.
Learner examples
- The nurse saw the pallor of his face and became worried.
- After the flu, his skin kept a strange pallor for many days.
- Her pallor made her look very weak and tired.
- The teacher asked if she felt sick when he saw her pallor.
Noun
literary
C2
property
2
general lack of color or brightness
A weak or low color in a place, object, or light, which makes it look flat or without life.
Usage pattern:
the pallor of [something]
Synonyms
dullness (More general; can describe lack of brightness or interest, not only color.)
|
colorlessness (More technical and neutral; emphasizes the absence of color without the emotional tone of 'pallor'.)
Antonyms
vividness (Focuses on strong, bright, and clear colors, the opposite of a washed-out effect.)
|
rich color (Suggests deep, full color, contrasting with the thin, weak color implied by 'pallor'.)
Collocations
the pallor of the sky
|the pallor of the moon
|urban pallor
|gray pallor
|the pallor of the walls
Themes
description
|art
|literature
|core_vocabulary
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- The weak sun gave the city a cold pallor, as if the buildings themselves were tired.
- The artist complained about the pallor of the light in the room, saying it flattened all the colors.
- Moonlight cast a bluish pallor over the empty streets.
Learner examples
- The rain and clouds gave the town a gray pallor.
- The old photo has a yellow pallor because of age.
- The weak lamp added a strange pallor to the room.
Grammar
Dictionary form
pallor
IPA
GB/pˈælɚ/
US/pˈælɚ/
Syllables & stress
pal - lor (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (pal)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: pallor
- Plural: pallor, pallors
Word family
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.