Colors and Their Meanings

Colors over the years have come to mean many things to different cultures. Symbols and metaphors help us understand our everyday language and figures of speech. Almost every item, every word, every idea hides a certain symbolism. Colors are rich in hidden meanings and symbolism.

Certainly everyone has heard these familiar phrases: feeling blue, seeing red, green with envy; colors being associated with emotions. How about these: blue blood, red carpet, purple heart, black market, and the orange bowl. The foundation for color symbolism has been built upon many centuries of history, religion, tradition and superstition. Did you know that in Christianity the color green was banned at one time for its connection as a pagan color?

Listed below are the colors of the rainbow which also mirrors the way colors are presented in relationship to many religions.

Red
Red communicates love and beauty. In Christianity, red symbolizes love, blood and the martyrdom of Christ.

Orange
Orange represents enthusiasm, excitement and adventure.

Yellow
The color of joy, gladness, delight, and the promise of a new beginning. It also represents playfulness, creativity, warmth, charm, confidence, basically an easy going attitude about life.

Green
The peaceful color of a spring meadow, once banned by Christians now means hope, peace, healing and growth in Christian life.

Blue
Blue is the color of constancy and faith, the color painters used for the Virgin Mary's robe, the color of the heavens and the oceans. The soothing color blue stands for sky, good health, sensitivity, truth, loyalty, patience, friendship and dignity. In Christianity, blue symbolizes Mary and Advent.

Violet
Purple is symbolic of power, majesty, spiritual goals, passionate belief, visionary leadership, respect and wealth. It has been worn by emperors, military commanders, and other high-ranking officials. In Christianity, purple means penitence.

White
White means purity and innocence, serenity of a snowy landscape. In Christianity white symbolizes joy, glory and the road to heaven and it was thus the color of newly baptized Christians as well as the Pope.

Black
Both in art and in religion black signifies despair, sin and mourning. But yet with many artists, the color implies elegance. In Christianity, it stands for Death.

Pink
Pink symbolizes appreciation, thanks, grace, happiness, and admiration. Pink also symbolizes love, friendship, harmony and compassion.

Brown
The color of the earth symbolizes home, friendship. Amber, a golden brown, represents courage and energy.

Silver
Silver removes negativity and symbolizes encouragement.

Gold
Symbolic of the sun and glamorous attraction.