xanthous

X8A1N1T1H4O1U1S1
UK, US/ˈzæn.θəs/

adjective

Yellow-brown; yolk-colored.

Similar
yellowyellowishchromatic
Opposite
leucousmelanous
Scrabble 18
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Meanings

adjectivexanthous (not comparable)
  1. not comparableYellow-brown; yolk-colored.

    Absorbent fatty xanthous histiocytes and xanthous granulations are observed in the marginal area of necrosis of the fatty tissue[…]

    1983, Dorothea Liebermann-Meffert et al., The Greater Omentum, page 131
  2. archaicnot comparableanthropologyPertaining to people with yellowish, red, auburn, or brown hair.

    The xanthous variety springs up out of every black-haired race.

    1841, James Cowles Prichard et al., Researches Into the Physical History of Mankind, page 227
    1 more example

    […] the xanthous, or fair class, comprises those who have brown, auburn, yellow, flaxen, or red hair; […]

    1842, James Laurie, System of Universal Geography: Founded on the Works of Malte-Brun and Balbi, London: Stevenson & Co., page 106

    Antonyms: leucous, melanous

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivePertaining to people with yellowish, red, auburn, or brown hair.

Opposite
leucousmelanous

More synonyms by meaning

adjectiveof the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk

Similar
yellowyellowishchromatic
Also see
yellowyellowish

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

By surface analysis, xanth- + -ous.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian жълт
  • жълт (žălt)yellow-brown
Finnish kellanruskea
  • kellanruskeayellow-brown
French ocre, ochracé
  • ocreyellow-brown
  • ochracéyellow-brown
Norwegian gusten
  • gustenyellow-brown
Polish żółtobrązowy
  • żółtobrązowyyellow-brown
Russian жёлтый
  • жёлтый (žóltyj)yellow-brown
Spanish ocre
  • ocreyellow-brown

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with xanthous

acanthusacanthousproteranthous
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

xanthous. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/xanthous

MLA

“xanthous.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/xanthous. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “xanthous,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/xanthous.

Source: xanthous on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.