Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to colorize

to colorize

4 4.8
To add color to black-and-white photos or films using software
  • verb
  • /ˈkʌləˌraɪz/
  • US
translation icon : colorizar
  • The photographer decided to colorize the black-and-white portrait to bring it to life.
  • colorized photograph
  • colorized image

Examples

  • I have Gimp but have no idea how to colorize with it.

    Blog text (26)

  • The real "sin" of the Time images was that they were badly done, colorized rather than hand-colored.

    Blog text (28)

  • If you shoot it in black and white they'll just colorize it anyway.

    The Big Picture (1989)

  • Could Phil or someone please colorize that shot until you get the tutorial up?

    Blog text (26)

  • Subscribers could order a colorized version of the map for an extra fee.

    Academic text (2011)

  • In desperation, they'd spend a day at home watching colorized movies or golf together on TV.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • Sanna Dullahan isn't colorizing any of my grandfather's family photos, after all.

    Blog text (28)

  • Many movies from the 1950s have been colorized to appeal to modern audiences.

  • They used software to colorize the old photographs, making them more vibrant and engaging.

Synonyms

to color
vsto colorize
  • US
228 1.0

To make something a different shade by painting or dyeing

is specific to adding hues to black and white images often with software
to color in
vsto colorize
  • US
7 1.4

To fill parts of a picture with crayons or paint

is used for black and white photographs and images rather than drawings
to handcolor
vsto colorize
  • Archaic
8.1

To add color to a black and white photo or print by hand

uses special techniques or software instead of manual methods
to polychromize
vsto colorize
  • Specialized
9.9

To paint something in many different colors

adds natural tones to black and white images rather than decorative multicolor work

How Automated

to colorize
  • US
4 4.8
to tint
24 3.6
to handcolor
  • Archaic
8.1

Surface Forms

colorize infinitive
colourize infinitive
colorized past
colourized past
colorized past participle
colourized past participle
colorizing present participle
colourizing present participle
colorizes third person singular
colourizes third person singular

Morphology

colorize = color (transparent) = color + ize

The productive verb-forming suffix '-ize' added to 'color' yields the literal meaning 'to make colored', which is directly inferable.

Etymology

Colorize comes from the simple word color plus the ending -ize, which means 'make'. So it literally means 'make color', and that's why colorize describes adding color to a black-and-white photo, film, or image, often by hand or with software.