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Definition of pale adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

pale

adjective
 
 
/peɪl/
 
/peɪl/
(comparative paler, superlative palest)
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  1.  
     (of a person, their face, etc.) having skin that is very light in colour; having skin that has less colour than usual because of illness, a strong emotion, etc.
    • a pale complexion
    • She was tall with a slender figure and pale skin.
    • pale with fear/shock
    • to go/turn/grow pale
    • You look pale. Are you OK?
    • Her face had grown deathly pale.
    • The ordeal left her looking pale and drawn.
    Extra Examples
    • She was tall, dark and pale, and very beautiful.
    • Ruth went pale as the news sank in.
    • He turned deathly pale.
    • His face went pale with anger.
    Topics Appearanceb1, Health problemsb1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • appear
    • be
    • look
    • …
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    • …
    phrases
    • pale and drawn
    See full entry
  2.  
     light in colour; containing a lot of white
    • pale blue eyes
    • a paler shade of green
    • a pale sky
    • The flowers were pale and wilted.
    opposite dark, deepTopics Colours and Shapesb1
  3.  
     (of light) not strong or bright
    • the cold pale light of dawn
    4. see also pallid, pallor
    Word Originadjective Middle English: from Old French pale, from Latin pallidus; the verb is from Old French palir.
See pale in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee pale in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: pale

Nearby words

dizzy
adjective
 
 
From the Topic
Health problems
C1
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