Spanish Conversation · Level 77
60 words
Spanish word
cenizo
Pronunciation
IPA/θeˈniθo/
Meaning
- adjectiveashen
Example
El cielo se volvió cenizo al atardecer.
The sky turned ashen at dusk.
More examples
El maquillaje le dejó un aspecto cenizo.
The makeup left her with an ashen appearance.
Core concept
Pale ash-gray color.
Common phrases
tinte cenizo
ashen tint
pelo cenizo
ashen hair
aspecto cenizo
ashen appearance
Similar words
gris: Neutral mid gray with moderate brightness and even tone.
apagado: Muted, low-saturation color that looks faded or subdued.
ahumado: Smoky, dim gray with a hazy, soot-like blur.
ceniciento: Whitish, very pale gray with an ashlike, faint appearance.
Definition in Spanish
Que presenta un tono semejante al de la ceniza; un gris pálido y opaco, y en ocasiones usado con sentido de mal agüero.
Word origin
The adjective comes from Spanish ceniza 'ash' (from Latin cinis) plus the suffix -izo, originally meaning 'ash-colored' and later acquiring a gloomy or ominous sense.
Usage tips
- Used mainly in literary and weather contexts, cenizo is less common in speech than gris or grisáceo, and unlike English ashen for a pale face, cenizo refers to a gray color or gloomy atmosphere.