Chartreuse (color)

{{short description|Shade of yellow-green color}} {{About|the color||Chartreuse (disambiguation){{!}}Chartreuse}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}} {{Use American English|date=March 2023}} {{Infobox color | title=Chartreuse | hex=80FF00 | image= {{photomontage |photo1a= RAF-Cardington-Shed02 (cropped).jpg |photo1b= Catopsilia_pomona_by_kadavoor.JPG |photo1c= |photo2a= Schnapsglas_grüner_Chartreuse.jpg |photo2b= Henry Prince of Wales on the Hunting Field Robert Peake.jpg |photo2c= |photo3a= 10 Jahre SRZ - Schutz & Rettung Zürich - 'Parade' - Feuerwehr Küsnacht 2011-05-13 20-37-44.jpg |photo3b= Chartreuse eye color (human).jpg | size = 300 | color_border = #AAAAAA | color = #F9F9F9 | foot_montage = }} |caption=(clockwise from top-left) Cardington Airfield, ''Catopsilia pomona'', Portrait of the Prince of Wales by Robert Peake the Elder, a male human's chartreuse eye color, Fire engine in Zürich, A Shot Glass of Chartreuse liqueur | source=Convertcase<ref>{{cite web |title=HSL color chart with names |date= 27 September 2025|url=https://www.convertcase.com/colors/hsl-color-chart |website=convertcase |access-date=27 September 2025}}</ref> | variations=yes | variationstitle=Variation | variation1=Chartreuse Yellow | variation1color=#DFFF00 | isccname=Vivid greenish yellow|cmyk=(50, 0, 100, 0) }}

'''Chartreuse''' ({{IPAc-en|US|audio=En-us-chartreuse.ogg|ʃ|ɑr|ˈ|t|r|uː|z|,_|-|ˈ|t|r|uː|s}}, {{IPAc-en|UK|-|ˈ|t|r|ɜː|z}},<ref>{{cite web|url=http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/Chartreuse|title=Chartreuse|work=The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language|publisher=Houghton Mifflin/Yahoo! Inc|access-date=2010-01-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080608204852/http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/chartreuse|archive-date=2008-06-08|url-status=dead}}</ref> {{IPA|fr|ʃaʁtʁøz|lang|LL-Q150 (fra)-Pamputt-chartreuse.wav}}) is a color between yellow and green also referred to as '''yellow-green''' or '''greenish yellow'''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=DuBois|first=Stephanie|date=August 7, 2020|title=The Unexpected History of the Color Chartreuse|url=https://www.gallantculture.com/blog/the-unexpected-history-of-the-color-chartreuse|url-status=live|access-date=November 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115151410/https://www.gallantculture.com/blog/the-unexpected-history-of-the-color-chartreuse |archive-date=2021-11-15 }}</ref> It was named because of its resemblance to the French liqueur green chartreuse, introduced in 1764. Similarly, '''chartreuse yellow''' is a yellow color mixed with a small amount of green, named after the drink yellow chartreuse.<ref name=greenyellow>{{cite web|url= http://www.chartreuse.fr/pa_green&yellow_uk.htm|title= Green Chartreuse and Yellow Chartreuse|access-date = 2008-05-05|publisher = Chartreuse Liqueurs|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080404183955/http://www.chartreuse.fr/pa_green%26yellow_uk.htm|archive-date = 2008-04-04|url-status= dead}}</ref> The wavelength and frequency of chartreuse is near 547.5 nm or 547.5 THz.{{cn|date=September 2025}}

During the 2000s, yellow-green, as well as other shades of bright green like lime green, became very popular when various tech companies used it in office decor and other products, and with the popularity and success of the ''Shrek'' franchise.<ref>{{Cite news |author= |date=2006-09-28 |title=Color forecasting: Shrek turns the world green |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/life/lifestyle/color-forecasting-shrek-turns-the-world-green/ |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=The Seattle Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Goldberg |first=Carole |work=Hartford Courant |title=Despite what Kermit says, Shrek's cool with his color |url=https://www.capecodtimes.com/story/news/2004/05/21/despite-what-kermit-says-shrek/50925992007/ |access-date=2023-03-27 |via=Cape Cod Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |first=Ella |last=Kemp |title=A Cultural Evolution of 'Shrek', from Blockbuster Hit to Historic Meme |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/a-cultural-evolution-of-shrek-from-blockbuster-hit-to-historic-meme/ |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=Vice |date=May 18, 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bakshi |first=Pema |title=The Final Frontier Of 'Ugly' Fashion Is Shrek Green |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-au/shrek-green-colour-trend |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=www.refinery29.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-15 |title=The Unexpected History of the Color Chartreuse — Gallant Culture |url=https://www.gallantculture.com/blog/the-unexpected-history-of-the-color-chartreuse |access-date=2023-03-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115151410/https://www.gallantculture.com/blog/the-unexpected-history-of-the-color-chartreuse |archive-date=November 15, 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-03-19 |title=Yellow-Green: What is it and How To Use it in Your Designs? |url=https://picsart.com/blog/post/yellow-green |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526024105/https://picsart.com/blog/post/yellow-green |archive-date=26 May 2022 |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=Picsart Blog |language=en}}</ref>

==Shades== {{Main|Shades of chartreuse}}

==History and etymology== The name ''Carthusian'' is derived from the Chartreuse Mountains in the French Prealps: Bruno of Cologne built his first hermitage in a valley of these mountains. These names were adapted to the English ''charterhouse'', meaning a Carthusian monastery. These monks started producing Chartreuse liqueur in 1737.

==In nature== Yellow-green algae, also called xanthophytes, are a class of algae in the Heterokontophyta division. Most live in fresh water, but some are found in marine and soil habitats. They vary from single-celled flagellates to simple colonial and filamentous forms. Unlike other heterokonts, the plastids of yellow-green algae do not contain fucoxanthin, which is why they have a lighter color.

==In popular culture==

===The song ''Chartreuse''=== Introduced by rhythm and blues bandleader Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five in 1950, the song ''(You dyed your hair) Chartreuse'' was written by J. Leslie McFarland and Billy Moore according to the record collector database Secondhand Songs and the record collector website Discogs. It was the B-side of the Decca Records 45 rpm release "Lemonade". It was also recorded later the same year by Gordon MacRae with harmony singing by The Ewing Sisters and orchestra led by Frank De Vol.<ref>{{cite web | title=Cover versions of Chartreuse written by Billy Moore, J. Leslie McFarland | SecondHandSongs | website=SecondHandSongs | url=https://secondhandsongs.com/work/304551/versions }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five - Lemonade / (You Dyed Your Hair) Chartreuse | website=Discogs | date=1950 | url=https://www.discogs.com/master/2037400-Louis-Jordan-And-His-Tympany-Five-Lemonade-You-Dyed-Your-Hair-Chartreuse }}</ref>

In the tongue-in-cheek lyric, the singer threatens to tell the mother of his "freckle-faced pug-nosed cutie" about the change in hair color. "You went too far in that beauty booth, when you died your hair chartreuse," he says.

===Traffic safety=== Chartreuse yellow is used on traffic safety vests to provide increased visibility for employees working near traffic. The chartreuse yellow background material, together with a retro-reflective satisfy the [http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/646966O/ansi-made-easy.pdf ANSI 107-2010 standard] since 1999. High-visibility clothing ANSI Standards were adopted as an Occupational Safety and Health Act (United States) requirement in 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2009-title23-vol1/CFR-2009-title23-vol1-sec634-2|title=GovInfo|website=www.govinfo.gov|access-date=March 2, 2023|archive-date=March 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302121858/https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2009-title23-vol1/CFR-2009-title23-vol1-sec634-2|url-status=live}}</ref>{{full citation needed|date=February 2021}}

===Film and television=== The 1960 Universal film ''Chartroose Caboose'' featured a "bright green"–colored train car.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/87023/Chartroose-Caboose/overview |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080418185403/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/87023/Chartroose-Caboose/overview |archive-date=2008-04-18 |title=N.Y. Times Overview of the film Chartroose Caboose |access-date=2009-04-15|department=Movies & TV Dept. |work=The New York Times |author=Sandra Brennan |date=2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the 2001 ''Blue's Clues'' episode "Colors Everywhere!", Blue and Joe meet a physical representation of the colour chartreuse, who takes the form of a glob of paint. Chartreuse demonstrates that her colour is made by mixing yellow and green.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/ |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/blues-clues-colors-everywhere-shape-searchers |archive-date=May 3, 2020 |title= Blue's Clues: S05E02 - Colors Everywhere! |access-date=March 28, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Firefighting=== [[File:ACTFB tankers.jpg|thumb|ACT Fire and Rescue tankers in chartreuse green]] Since about 1973, a sort of fluorescent chartreuse green has been adopted as the color of fire engines in parts of the United States and elsewhere. The use of chartreuse fire engines began when New York ophthalmologist Stephen Solomon produced research claiming that sparkling bright lime-green paint would boost the night-time visibility of emergency vehicles compared to those painted the traditional fire engine red.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-07-07-me-21095-story.html|title=The Green Firetruck Heresy : Some studies say red is not a safe color. But chartreuse just doesn't excite the masses. |first=Stephanie |last=Simon |date=7 July 1995 |website=Los Angeles Times |archive-date=January 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113170836/http://articles.latimes.com/1995-07-07/local/me-21095_1_red-firetrucks |url-status=live |access-date=2023-03-02 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KKV6lL45SE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/4KKV6lL45SE| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=East Longmeadow 4th of July Parade 2009|last=((Katley99))|date=4 July 2009|access-date=20 November 2017|publisher=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The reason for this is the Purkinje effect, i.e., the cones do not function as efficiently in dim light, so red objects appear to be black. In Australia, this form of chartreuse yellow is also known as "ACT yellow" as this is the color of the fire engines in the Australian Capital Territory.

In 2009, the American firefighting standard NFPA 1901 was updated to specify that the rears of firefighting vehicles and ambulances were to have retroreflective chevron striping, that was an alternating pattern of red and either yellow or yellow-green stripes.<ref>{{cite web |title=NFPA 1901 - Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus - 2009 Edition |url=https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/nfpa-1901-standard-development/1901 |website=nfpa.org |publisher=National Fire Protection Association |access-date=11 October 2025 |date=2009|url-access=registration}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=US Fire Administration |author1-link=United States Fire Administration |title=Emergency Vehicle Visibility and Conspicuity Study - FA-323 |url=https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa_323.pdf |website=usfa.fema.gov |publisher=Federal Emergency Management Agency |access-date=11 October 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240725133527/https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa_323.pdf |archive-date=25 July 2024 |date=August 2009}}</ref>

===Music===

Charli XCX's 2024 album ''Brat'' has a chartreuse-colored album cover with the text "brat".<ref>{{cite news |title=How this 'off-putting' color shaded the internet and beyond |publisher=CNN |date=23 July 2024 |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/23/style/brat-summer-green-explained/index.html |access-date=24 August 2025}}</ref>

==See also== * Lime (color) * Lists of colors

== References == '''Informational notes''' {{notelist}}

'''Citations''' {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Commons category-inline|Yellow-green}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chartreuse (Color)}} Category:Tertiary colors Category:Quaternary colors Category:Shades of green