greige

alternative grege · alternative grège · alternative griege

1. not comparablebusinessOf clothing, textiles, etc.: neither bleached nor dyed, nor otherwise fully processed; unfinished.

   The rolls of greige cloth sat on the factory floor waiting to be printed.

2. not comparableOf a colour like that of unbleached or undyed fabric, between grey and beige.

   “There he was … juiceless, on a greige banquette, staring up at my perfect terrace.[…]”

   2025 June 7, Rana Foroohar, quoting Evan Osnos, “The rich are very different”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 8

   1 more example

   To those who still deludedly think they prefer Star Wars over Ghostbusters, all I need to ask you is this: you don't really want to be a Jedi, do you? In a greige cowl, getting off with your sister, without a single gag across three films?

   2009 June 29, Caitlin Moran, “Sorry Star Wars fans, but Ghostbusters is the best film ever made”, in The Times, London: News UK, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 11 Apr 2021

plural greiges · alternative grege · alternative grège

1. countableuncountableA colour like that of unbleached or undyed fabric between grey and beige, closely akin to taupe.

   Brilliant, sparkling reds will complement the bright, new beauty of Fall fashions and accent the subtle reserve of pale Priority beiges and greiges.

   1943, S[idney] J[oseph] Perelman, “Bend Down, Sister”, in The Dream Department, New York, N.Y.: Random House, →OCLC, page 74

   3 more examples

   The rise of the neutral family of greige colors has put the decorating emphasis squarely on accents. The August issue of Better Homes & Gardens, for example, features an article showing which accents look best with greiges and other popular colors.

   1959, Paint, Oil and Chemical Review, volume 122, Chicago, Ill.: Trade Review Co., →OCLC, page 12, column 2

   To accessorize the server, we arranged a grouping of mahogany candlesticks in a variety of interesting shapes, a small greige-colored vase, and a platter that incorporates the colors of the candlesticks as well as the greige of the vase.

   2005 September, Lauri Ward, “Views on Retirement: Moving from Coast to Coast”, in Home Therapy: Fast, Easy, Affordable Makeovers (A Perigee Book), Perigee trade paperback edition, New York, N.Y.: Penguin Group, published September 2006, →ISBN, page 256

   Canadian colour consultants The Paint People recently reached the same conclusion, declaring on YouTube “the death of greige: a paint colour category that has absolutely dominated interior design for well over a decade”.

   2022 May 25, Elle Hunt, “It’s not beige, it’s not grey: it’s greige – and it’s why all our houses look the same”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 08 Sep 2023

2. archaiccountableuncountablebusinessClothing, textiles, etc., which have neither been bleached nor dyed, nor otherwise fully processed; greige goods.

   Synonyms: gray goods, grey goods