xanthous

English

WOTD – 18 February 2009

From xanth- +‎ -ous.

xanthous (not comparable)

Yellow-brown; yolk-colored.
- 1983, Dorothea Liebermann-Meffert et al., The Greater Omentum, page 131:
  Absorbent fatty xanthous histiocytes and xanthous granulations are observed in the marginal area of necrosis of the fatty tissue […]
(archaic, ethnology) Pertaining to people with yellowish, red, auburn, or brown hair.
Antonyms: leucous, melanous
- 1841, James Cowles Prichard et al., Researches Into the Physical History of Mankind, page 227:
  The xanthous variety springs up out of every black-haired race.
- 1842, James Laurie, System of Universal Geography: Founded on the Works of Malte-Brun and Balbi‎^[1], London: Stevenson & Co., page 106:
  […] the xanthous, or fair class, comprises those who have brown, auburn, yellow, flaxen, or red hair; […]

yellow-brown