The scientific measurement and analysis of colors using instruments to determine their exact wavelengths, brightness, and other properties.
From Latin 'color' (hue) combined with Greek 'metron' (measure) and '-ia' (practice/science). Developed in the 1800s as physics advanced and scientists needed objective ways to describe colors beyond human perception.
Colorimetry transformed color from something subjective (your red might look different than mine) into objective data, which is why it's crucial for manufacturing everything from semiconductors to cosmetics—absolute precision matters when consistency is everything.
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