pastel Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun any of various pale or light colors
  2. adjective satellite lacking in body or vigor
    • faded pastel charms of the naive music
  3. adjective satellite delicate and pale in color
    • pastel pink

WordNet

Pas"tel noun
Etymology
F.; cf. It. pastello. Cf. Pastil.
Definitions
  1. A crayon made of a paste composed of a color ground with gum water. Sometimes incorrectly written pastil.
    "Charming heads in pastel." W. Black.
  2. (Bot.) A plant affording a blue dye; the woad (Isatis tinctoria); also, the dye itself.
  3. a drawing using pastel, or of a pastel shade.
  4. the art or process of drawing with pastels.
  5. any of various light or pale colors.
  6. a light literary work, as a sketch.

Webster 1913