sallowish

sallowish

Her complexion looked sallowish after the long illness.

Definition
  1. Adjective:
    • Somewhat sallow: "sallowish" describes a complexion or colour that is slightly or moderately sallow, meaning a pale, yellowish, or sickly hue, but not as pronounced as fully sallow.
Usage Examples
  • Adjective:
    • Her skin had a sallowish tint after the long winter indoors. (A slightly pale, yellowish complexion.)
    • The old photograph showed a sallowish glow on the faces of the miners. (A pale, somewhat unhealthy colour.)
    • He looked sallowish under the fluorescent lights, though he felt perfectly fine. (A mild, yellowish pallor.)
Advanced Usage

  • "a sallowish complexion": a skin tone that leans toward sallow but is not extreme.

    • The doctor noted the patient's sallowish complexion as a possible sign of mild jaundice. (A slightly yellowed skin colour.)

  • "sallowish leaves": foliage that is somewhat pale or yellowish-green.

    • The plant's sallowish leaves indicated it needed more sunlight. (Leaves with a faded, yellowish tint.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Sallow (adj): of a sickly, yellowish or light brown colour (often describing skin).

    • His sallow skin betrayed his poor health. (A distinctly pale, yellowed complexion.)

  • Sallowness (n): the quality of being sallow.

    • The sallowness of her cheeks worried her friends. (The pale, yellowish appearance of her cheeks.)

  • Sallowishness (n): the state or quality of being slightly sallow.

    • The sallowishness of the landscape after the drought was noticeable. (A mild yellowish pallor in the scenery.)
Synonyms
  • Pale: lacking colour; light in hue.
  • Yellowish: having a slight yellow tinge.
  • Wan: pale and giving an impression of illness or exhaustion.
  • Pastly: somewhat pale or sickly in colour.
Related Idioms

  • "a sallowish cast": a subtle yellowish or pale quality in appearance.

    • The painting had a sallowish cast that made the scene feel melancholic. (A faint, yellowish tone.)

  • "sallowish light": light that has a pale, yellowish quality.

    • The sallowish light of the afternoon gave the room a tired look. (A dim, yellowish illumination.)