The Futility of Naming Colours: A Lesson in Language and Science The notion that colours can be precisely defined is a quaint one, akin to trying to pin down a summer breeze.
Centuries of effort by lexicographers, colour scientists, and industry leaders have yielded varying degrees of success.
Kory Stamper's book "True Color" highlights the tension between language and science in defining colours. White, once a straightforward term, is now subject to marketing whims and consumerist pressures.