tawny

/ˈtɔːni/ (bre, ipa) · [tˈɑni] /ˈtɔːni/ (ame, ipa) · [tˈɑni] /ˈtȯ-nē How to pronounce tawny (audio) ˈtä-nē/ (ame, mw) · /ˈtɔː.ni/ (bre, ipa) · [tˈɑni] /ˈtɑː.ni/ (ame, ipa)

tawny — adjective

  • tawnypositive
  • tawniercomparative
  • tawniestsuperlative

1. describing a warm, light colour that is a mix of brown and yellow — like the fur

1.形容詞B1
釋義

describing a warm, light colour that is a mix of brown and yellow — like the fur of a lion, the feathers of an owl, or dry oak leaves in autumn

例句

Dahlia wore a coat the colour of tawny autumn leaves.

collocation: tawny + autumn leaves

The tawny fur of the lioness blended perfectly with the dry savannah grass.

tawny describes animal fur

同義詞
  • tan

    a lighter, less yellow shade than tawny, closer to pale brown

  • ochre

    a more yellow or orange tone, often used for earth pigments

  • amber

    a darker, richer yellow-brown, like fossilised tree resin

  • fawn

    a pale, soft yellowish-brown, lighter than tawny, like deer fur

反義詞
  • white

    pure light, opposite of the brownish tone of tawny

文法句型

tawny + noun

be + tawny

用法筆記

This sense is the most common use of 'tawny' and applies to anything with a natural yellowish-brown colour — animal coats, leaves, earth, or fabric. The word is more common in written or literary English than in everyday conversation.

常見錯誤

❌The lion's fur was tawny yellow.
✅The lion's fur was tawny.
💡'Tawny' already describes a yellowish-brown colour; adding 'yellow' is redundant.
❌She painted the room tawny colour.
✅She painted the room tawny.
💡'Tawny' is an adjective; no need to add 'colour' after it.

2. describing a type of port wine that becomes brownish in colour after spending ma

2.形容詞B2
釋義

describing a type of port wine that becomes brownish in colour after spending many years ageing in wooden barrels

例句

Renata poured herself a glass of tawny port after dinner.

collocation: tawny port

The wine shop recommended a fine tawny that had been aged for twenty years.

tawny is used as a noun for 'tawny port'

同義詞
  • amber

    a similar warm brownish-yellow colour, often used for aged white wines or spirits

  • nut-brown

    a richer, darker brown tone that may describe very old tawny ports

反義詞
  • ruby

    a bright, deep red colour that describes younger port wines

文法句型

tawny + noun (port)

be + tawny

用法筆記

Unlike the general colour sense, this sense is restricted to wine — specifically port wine aged in wood. Not all brownish wines are called 'tawny'; the term is a technical category in the port wine industry.

常見錯誤

❌I bought a bottle of tawny wine from Spain.
✅I bought a bottle of tawny port from Portugal.
💡'Tawny' is a specific type of port, not a general wine colour.
❌This tawny wine is made from fresh grapes.
✅This tawny port is made from grapes grown in the Douro Valley.
💡'Tawny' is always a port wine, not a wine-making method.

tawny — noun