chroma: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2 / Technical / Low-frequencyTechnical, formal, academic; rarely used in everyday conversation.
Quick answer
What does “chroma” mean?
The purity or intensity of a colour.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The purity or intensity of a colour; the quality of a colour that combines its hue and saturation, independent of brightness.
In technical fields like photography, video, and digital imaging, it refers specifically to the colour information component of a signal, separate from luminance (brightness). In colour science, it is a key attribute in colour models like CIE L*C*h°.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Pronunciation differs slightly.
Connotations
Purely technical term in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency and specialised in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “chroma” in a Sentence
[Noun] has high/low chroma.The [technical process] separates luma from chroma.Adjust the [setting] to modify the chroma.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “chroma” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The chroma signal was improperly encoded.
- A chroma adjustment layer was added.
American English
- The chroma information is processed separately.
- Check the chroma settings in the software.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in marketing and design discussions about brand colours.
Academic
Central in papers on colour science, vision, and image processing.
Everyday
Virtually unused; replaced by words like 'colour' or 'vividness'.
Technical
Precise term in video engineering, photography, and digital colour management.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “chroma”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “chroma”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “chroma”
- Using 'chroma' to mean simply 'colour' (e.g., 'I like the chroma of your shirt').
- Confusing 'chroma' with 'chromatic' (relating to colour in general) or 'chrome' (the metal).
- Pronouncing it /krɒmə/ (like 'chrome-a') instead of /ˈkroʊ.mə/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In many colour models (like HSL), they are used interchangeably. However, in more precise models (like CIELAB or L*C*h°), 'Chroma' is a specific, calculated metric of colourfulness, while 'saturation' is chroma relative to lightness. In common technical parlance, they are very close synonyms.
You will encounter it most in professional video editing software (settings for chroma key, chroma noise reduction), photography texts discussing colour theory, and scientific literature on colour perception and measurement.
No, 'chroma' is exclusively a noun. There is no verb form 'to chroma'. The related process is 'chroma keying'.
In video and image processing, the signal is often split into two parts: **luma** carries the brightness/lightness information (the black-and-white picture), and **chroma** carries the colour information (what tint to apply to the luma). This separation allows for efficient compression and processing.
The purity or intensity of a colour.
Chroma is usually technical, formal, academic; rarely used in everyday conversation. in register.
Chroma: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkrəʊ.mə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkroʊ.mə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Chroma key (the technique for green/blue screen)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a **CHRO**matic (colourful) **MA**gnifying glass focusing on the pure colour, not the brightness.
Conceptual Metaphor
COLOUR IS A VECTOR: Chroma is the 'magnitude' or 'strength' of the colour vector, while hue is its direction.
Practice
Quiz
What does 'chroma' specifically refer to in colour science?