false colour

plural false colours · alternative false color · alternative false-color · alternative false-colour · alternative false colouring

1. attributiveespeciallyHaving colours that are different from those of reality, especially such that the colours used correspond to some physical or spectral significance (e.g. representing temperature, wavelength, species of microbe, or other meaning).

   The temperature gradient is shown here in false colour for convenience.

   1 more example

   A false-colour image from a microscope helps highlight the variety of microbial species present in a single sample of soil.