achromatic

(ak′rə mat′ik, ā′krə-)

adjective

colorless
refracting white light without breaking it up into its component colors
forming visual images whose outline is free from prismatic colors: an achromatic lens
Biol.
1. staining poorly with the usual stains
2. made of achromatin
Music without accidentals; diatonic: an achromatic scale

Origin: Gr achrōmatos < a-, without + chrōma, color (see chrome) + -ic

Related Forms:

See achromatic in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective

Designating color perceived to have zero saturation and therefore no hue, such as neutral grays, white, or black.
Refracting light without spectral color separation.
Biology Difficult to stain with standard dyes. Used in reference to cells or tissues.
Music Having only the diatonic tones of the scale.

Origin:

Origin: From Greek akhrōmatos

Origin: : a-, without; see a-¹

Origin: + khrōma, khrōmat-, color

Related Forms: