Pinks

/pɪŋks/ noun

Definition

A light red or pale red color, or plural of pink flowers with frilly petals that bloom in gardens.

Etymology

From Middle Dutch 'pinck' meaning a small ship or the color itself. The flower meaning developed in the 16th century from the plant's appearance and possibly from the Dutch word for pricking or punching (the petal edges look pricked).

Kelly Says

The flower 'pink' has nothing to do with the color—it's actually the opposite! The color was named after the flower, not the flower after the color. The petal edges look like they've been cut with pinking shears (special scissors that make zigzag cuts), which is why we call those scissors by this name today.

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

Pink became coded as feminine only in the mid-20th century; prior centuries saw it assigned to boys. The gendering is recent marketing-driven construction, not natural or universal.

Inclusive Usage

Reference color neutrally. Avoid assuming pink preferences or interests based on gender. When discussing color choices, center individual preference over gendered defaults.

Inclusive Alternatives

["the color pink","rose-toned","magenta"]

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.