# cyan

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈsaɪˌæn/ · frequency rank #41,072

## Definitions
1. An additive secondary colour midway between green and blue, evoked by wavelengths between ~490 and ~520 nm.

## Etymology
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek κύανος (kúanos), a shade of blue variously described as similar to cornflower, copper carbonate, and lapis lazuli, Mycenaean Greek 𐀓𐀷𐀜 (ku-wa-no), possibly from Hittite [script needed] (kuwannan-, “a precious stone; copper; shade of blue”). Compare modern Greek κυανός (kyanós), also used for cyan.

## Easily confused with
- **cyst** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cyan-vs-cyst)
- **czar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cyan-vs-czar)
- **CA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ca-vs-cyan)
- **can** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/can-vs-cyan)
- **car** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/car-vs-cyan)
- **cat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cat-vs-cyan)
- **cap** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cap-vs-cyan)
- **CNN** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cnn-vs-cyan)
- **con** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/con-vs-cyan)
- **CIA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cia-vs-cyan)
- **cam** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cam-vs-cyan)
- **cal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cal-vs-cyan)
- **cab** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cab-vs-cyan)
- **cha** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-cyan)
- **cas** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cas-vs-cyan)
- **CAD** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cad-vs-cyan)
- **CBA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cba-vs-cyan)
- **CPA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cpa-vs-cyan)
- **Cao** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cao-vs-cyan)
- **CFA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cfa-vs-cyan)

## Common misspellings (6)
`cayn`, `ccyan`, `cyann`, `cyna`, `cyyan`, `ycan`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/cyan