This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
überdacht
skapholunär

Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

altweiß

English translation:

off-white

Added to glossary by onubad
Nov 10, 2008 00:46
15 yrs ago
2 viewers *
German term

altweiß

German to English Tech/Engineering Architecture Paint
I checked in wikipedia, and there are some shades (cosmic latte, cream, ivory, magnolia, old lace, seashell), but it's difficult to tell to which one (or a shade in between) altweiß refers. Could anyone please help?
Proposed translations (English)
3 +6 off-white
1 -1 Grey
References
Refs for altweiß/antique white/blanc antique/oudwit, etc

Discussion

Stephen Reader Nov 10, 2008:
@Helen+Nicole, Flattering having 2 ladies arguing over me 'ead, but b4 it (my head) gets too big - off-w. does seem the most neutral & artist variant (toned into whatever other colour/shade) while antique happens to have the 'patina'-ring of alt. Best!/S
Helen Shiner Nov 10, 2008:
Sorry, but Nicole is not correct in this. Antique white is used extensively in the world of paint/craft/etc. and does not belong to any particular manufacturer. It is certainly not a 'fantasy name' but is well-established as a colour.
onubad (asker) Nov 10, 2008:
Oh!
Nicole Schnell Nov 10, 2008:
Ahem... "Antique white" is nothing but a fantasy name for off-white. You could as well say bone-white, alabaster-white, tooth-white. Art Director speaking. All those shades are: off-white.
onubad (asker) Nov 10, 2008:
Mea culpa! Antique white is indeed more suitable!

Is there any way to undo this grading? I should've known better :(.
Helen Shiner Nov 10, 2008:
Hi onubad, you've graded this very fast! I think 'antique white' is the colour you are looking for - I see Stephen Reader also suggests this. No point in me posting a separate answer now though...http://www.dulux.com.au/html/inspiration/colours_directions....

Proposed translations

+6
10 mins
Selected

off-white

off-white (ôfhwt, -wt, f-)
n.
A grayish or yellowish white.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

off-white adj.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

Legend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun 1. off-white - a shade of white the color of bleached bones
ivory, pearl, bone
whiteness, white - the quality or state of the achromatic color of greatest lightness (bearing the least resemblance to black)
Adj. 1. off-white - of something having a color tending toward white
whitish
achromatic, neutral - having no hue; "neutral colors like black or white"


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2008-11-10 02:12:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The names in the RAL table and the hex color code are proper names.
Altweiß, however, is a descriptive name for "gebrochenes Weiß", i.e. any kind of white that isn't bright white.
Reference:

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/off-white

Note from asker:
But isn't OFF-WHITE "weißgrau" in German? I tried to google it up, and found out there was a hot discussion among pro-s. It isn't even listed in RAL table. I even tried to find out the hex color code, but opinion was divided regarding this code too :( .
Peer comment(s):
agree Christine Bollmann : yes, off white maybe a distinguished or noble version of grey...
3 mins
Thanks, CBChris!
agree palilula (X)
9 mins
Thanks, Petra!
agree Johanna Timm, PhD : genau, das sogenannte edelweiß :-)
18 mins
He, he! Danke, Johanna! :-)
agree Sabine Akabayov, PhD
33 mins
Thanks, sibsab!
agree Stephen Reader : Think I've seen 'antique white' too, depends on context
1 hr
Excellent alternative! Thanks, Stephen :-)
agree Stephen Sadie : I agree, but what about eggshell as an option which is often used, why did you grade so fast, onubad?//possibly, but look in a DIY store...off-white is at least far warmer than white, anyway I would have taken off-white with ES only as an alternative
3 hrs
Thanks, Stephen! Eggshell indicates a warm color, though, whereas Altweiß is considered a cool color.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks a lot!"
-1
12 mins

Grey

I would say that altweiss is something like grey - alt = old and white is weiss, so old white is grey in teeth in hair and even in wall paint it turns grey................
so must be grey.
Peer comment(s):
neutral Stephen Reader : grey extends to near-black
1 hr
disagree Stephen Sadie : sorry but wrong
3 hrs
Something went wrong...

Reference comments

12 hrs
Reference:

Refs for altweiß/antique white/blanc antique/oudwit, etc

Something went wrong...
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search