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Wordabulary

aqua

UK /ˈæk.wə/ US /ˈæk.wə/ Syllables: aq-ua

Pronunciation
Noun A1 Beginner Neutral

Quick answer

A pale blue-green color, similar to the color of clear seawater.

Aqua is a pale blue-green color, like the water in a tropical sea. You can have an aqua shirt, an aqua wall or an aqua swimming pool. The word is also the Latin word for water, and it appears in many English words, from aquarium and aquatic to aqueduct. In science and in some product names, aqua simply means water. As a color name, it is close to turquoise but a little lighter and greener.

"She painted the bathroom walls a soft aqua."

Meanings

  1. A pale blue-green color, similar to the color of clear seawater.
  2. Water, in Latin and in some names.

Example sentences

  • "She painted her bedroom aqua."

    Level A2, Meaning 1

  • "The aqua water of the bay looked warm and clear."

    Level A2, Meaning 1

  • "He wore an aqua scarf."

    Level A2, Meaning 1

  • "Aqua means water in Latin."

    Level B1, Meaning 2

Synonyms and antonyms

Synonyms

Look-alikes and common mistakes

  • turquoise : Turquoise is a deeper blue-green, like the stone. Aqua is lighter and brighter.
  • teal : Teal is a dark blue-green. Aqua is much paler.

Word family and forms

Forms: aquas

Word partners

Words and phrases that often go with "aqua".

  • aqua blue
  • an aqua dress
  • aqua green
  • bright aqua
  • pale aqua
  • aqua color

Origin

Aqua came into English in the 1300s from Latin aqua, which means water, and was used for many kinds of liquid. As a color word it probably began as aqua used to describe color, or from words such as aquamarine, where aqua is the first part.

Checked against: Wiktionary, the free dictionary, Dictionary.com.

How to remember it

Aqua is the Latin word for water. If you can see it in a word, expect water to be near.

Test yourself

Which word fits the gap? "She painted her bedroom _____."

Answer: aqua

In your own words, what does "aqua" mean?

A pale blue-green color, similar to the color of clear seawater.

Learn next at A1

Sources and credits

Last reviewed October 20, 2026. Report a mistake on this page

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