colourfastcolorfastadj.
/ˈkʌləfɑːst/, /ˈkʌləfast/, U.S. /ˈkələrˌfæst/ Dyed in colours that will not readily fade or be washed out; (also of a material or fabric) susceptible to being dyed in this way.
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the world > matter > colour > colouring > dyeing > [adjective] > fast dyed
in grainc1386
grained1455
engrained1598
fast1658
standing1716
ingrain1766
fixed1791
fast-dyed1815
colourfast1851
wash-fast1963
1851 Official Descriptive & Illustr. Catal. Great Exhib. III. 578/1 White hose manufactured from Colonial cotton, of improved elasticity; and patent black cotton hose, colour fast and clean.
1916 Independent (N.Y.) 15 May 248/2 Colorfast, reversible moth-proof rugs.
1928 Observer 1 Apr. 13 Shrinkproof, stretchproof and colourfast.
1986 Financial Times (Nexis) 1 Mar. (Weekend section) p. xvii You cannot put them in a washing machine, but they are colourfast enough to survive handwashing in warm water.
1990 Kitchen July–Aug. 9/2 Natural linoleum is..colourfast and antistatic making it an ideal surface to use in a conservatory.
2005 C. Mendelson Laundry i. i. 12 Normal or regular washing treatment is appropriate for sturdy white and colorfast cottons.
Derivatives
ˈcolourfastness n. the quality of being colourfast; the degree to which a material, garment, etc., is colourfast.
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1886 Rocky Mountain News (Denver) 6 Dec. 8/6 (advt.) These excellent and dressy materials, which we can guarantee for durability, color fastness and perfect workmanship.
1962 B.S.I. News Feb. 17/1 The measurement of colour fastness..is now of considerable importance in the leather, plastics and other industries.
2002 Backwoods Home Mag. Nov.–Dec. 71/1 Launder dyed items in cold water until their color-fastness has been determined.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1851