isabelline

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   pale grayish-yellow, buff, or sandy in color, especially in descriptions of animal plumage or fur

   The desert bird's isabelline plumage matched the pale sand.

2. 2
   adj

   relating to the ornate late-Gothic style that developed in Spain during the reign of Isabella I of Castile

   The church facade combines Isabelline stonework with later Renaissance details.

Borrowed from French isabellin, from the personal name Isabelle. Why the name became a term for pale buff coloring is uncertain; stories about a queen's unwashed clothing are later folklore. The architectural sense directly honors Isabella I of Castile.

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