# dye

> English word · Noun · IPA /daɪ/ · frequency rank #9,324

## Definitions
1. A colourant, especially one that has an affinity to the substrate to which it is applied.
2. Any hue or color.

## Etymology
From Middle English deye, from Old English dēah, dēag (“color, hue, dye”), from Proto-West Germanic *daugu (“colour, shade”), from *daugan (“to conceal, be dark”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewh₂- (“to smoke, raise dust, camouflage”).
Cognates
Cognate with Old High German tougan (“dark, secretive”), tougal (“dark, hidden, covert”), Old English dēagol, dīegle (“dark, hidden, secret”), Old English dohs, dox (“dusky, dark”). See dusk.

## Easily confused with
- **dyed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dye-vs-dyed)
- **dyke** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dye-vs-dyke)
- **dyer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dye-vs-dyer)
- **dyes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dye-vs-dyes)
- **dykes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dye-vs-dykes)
- **d** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/d-vs-dye)
- **do** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/do-vs-dye)
- **Dr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dr-vs-dye)
- **de** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/de-vs-dye)
- **DC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dc-vs-dye)
- **da** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/da-vs-dye)
- **di** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/di-vs-dye)
- **DJ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dj-vs-dye)
- **DM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dm-vs-dye)
- **DB** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/db-vs-dye)
- **DS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ds-vs-dye)
- **DD** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dd-vs-dye)
- **DL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dl-vs-dye)
- **DT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dt-vs-dye)
- **DP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dp-vs-dye)

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