pastel

pastel — noun

IPA/ˈpæstl/
KK[pæstˈɛl]IPA/pæˈstel/
  • pastelsingular
  • pastelsplural

1. a soft drawing stick made from coloured powder, or an artwork done in pastel

1.nounB2
Definition

a soft drawing stick made from coloured powder, or an artwork done in pastel

Example

Ella opened a new box of pastels before the life drawing class.

collocation: a box of pastels

The teacher handed Noah a pastel for the sky above the hills.

Common collocations
  • box of pastels
  • soft pastel
  • oil pastel
  • draw in pastel
  • pastel of a harbor
Synonyms
  • crayon

    also a drawing stick, but crayons are usually wax-based and less powdery

  • chalk

    similar in shape, but ordinary chalk is not the same art material

  • pastel drawing

    used only for the finished picture, not for the stick itself

Grammar Patterns

draw with pastels

a box of pastels

a pastel of [place/person]

Usage Note

Can name the drawing stick, one finished picture, or the medium in general. In art classes, pastels often means a set of sticks.

Common Mistakes

She drew the portrait by pastel.
She drew the portrait in pastel.
Use in pastel for the medium.

2. a light colour that looks gentle rather than bright or strong

2.nounB2
Definition

a light colour that looks gentle rather than bright or strong

Example

The shop window was full of pastels for spring dresses.

plural pastels for a colour range

Jin chose a pastel for the baby's blanket and wall.

Common collocations
  • spring pastels
  • palette of pastels
  • wear pastels
  • soft blue pastels
Synonyms
  • light colour

    a broader everyday phrase; it does not always suggest the same soft feel

  • soft shade

    close in meaning and often used for gentle-looking colours

  • tint

    a more technical colour word, often for a colour mixed with white

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

pastels in fashion or design

a palette of pastels

Usage Note

Often used in the plural when talking about a group of these colours in clothes, rooms, or design.

Common Mistakes

The designer chose a pastel because she wanted a bright, strong wall.
The designer chose a pastel because she wanted a soft, light wall.
A pastel is gentle, not vivid.

3. the use of pastel sticks as a way of making pictures

3.nounC1
Definition

the use of pastel sticks as a way of making pictures

Example

Rina studied pastel at college before learning oil painting.

study pastel as a subject

The workshop introduces pastel through simple fruit and flower studies.

Common collocations
  • study pastel
  • pastel technique
  • teach pastel
  • pastel work
Synonyms
  • pastel art

    a close phrase for artwork or study in this medium

  • pastel work

    often refers to work done in the medium, not always the technique itself

  • drawing medium

    broader and can include charcoal, ink, and other materials

Grammar Patterns

study pastel

teach pastel

pastel technique

Usage Note

Usually uncountable when you mean the field or method. Distinguish from sense 1 ART MATERIAL, which names a stick or one finished picture.

Common Mistakes

Mina is good at pastels.
Mina is good at pastel.
Use singular uncountable pastel for the art form; pastels usually means the sticks.

pastel — adjective

IPA/ˈpæs.təl/
KK[pæstˈɛl]IPA/pæsˈtel/

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

For colour words, pastel suggests a light shade with a gentle, often cheerful look. It is common in fashion, room design, and packaging. Pale is broader: skin, light, and colour can all be pale, and the word does not always sound attractive. Soft can describe colour too, but it also talks about sound, light, or style, so it is less exact. Muted means not strong in colour, often with a calmer or more controlled effect than pastel. A pastel pink baby blanket sounds sweet and light, while a muted pink office wall sounds quieter and more restrained. If you simply mean not dark, pale may be enough; if you want a delicate design feeling, pastel is usually better.

pastel ↗pale ↗soft ↗muted ↗

Etymology

ItalianFrenchEnglish

Pastel came into English from French pastel, which came from Italian pastello, a word linked to pasta, meaning paste. The name reflects the way coloured powder is mixed with a binder and shaped into drawing sticks. From the art material, English later developed the colour sense for light, gentle shades.