colorize

/ˈkʌ.lə.raɪz/

//ˈkʌ.lə.raɪz// verb

"colorize" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“colorize” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To add color to.

Corpus desk

Index EN-colorize · colorize · English

colorize · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "C" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for colorize
PropertyValue
Headwordcolorize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈkʌ.lə.raɪz/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “colorize” in English

colorizeranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

colorize is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈkʌ.lə.raɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for colorize in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From color + -ize. The correct English form is colorize, spelled C-O-L-O-R-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To add color to.
  2. 2
    To convert black and white media to color by digital post production (as is often done in digital photography and in video special effects).

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how colorize appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The woman colorized her hair.
  2. There is a colorized version of Casablanca.

Etymology

From color + -ize.

Synonyms

colorcolor in

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "colorize"?
"colorize" is spelled C-O-L-O-R-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkʌ.lə.raɪz/.
What does "colorize" mean?
As a verb, "colorize" means: To add color to.
How do you pronounce "colorize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "colorize" is /ˈkʌ.lə.raɪz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "colorize"?
From color + -ize. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list