Orange (colour)

The colour orange occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum at a wavelength of about 620–585 nanometres. It is the same colour as the fruit for which it was named. Before the orange fruit was introduced to the English-speaking world, the colour was referred to (in Old English) as geoluhread, which transliterates into Modern English variously as yellow-red, yellowred, or yellored (all pronounced the same).

Usage, symbolism, colloquial expressions

• In English heraldry, orange denotes strength, honour, and generosity. Its use as a heraldic tincture is relatively rare.
• Orange is the national colour of The Netherlands, due to its royal family originating from the French principality of Orange. It is the primary colour of many of the national sports teams and their supporters. The nickname of the Dutch national soccer (football) team is Oranje, the Dutch word for orange. In the modern flag of the Netherlands, red substitutes the original orange, but on royal birthdays the flag has an additional orange banner. Most geographical usages of the word orange can be traced back to Dutch maritime power in the 17th century. In Ireland the use of orange dates from the reign of William of Orange, the Protestant English king and a Dutch stadholder.
• Orange signifies Protestantism in Northern Ireland (see Orange Order) and Hinduism in India and Sri Lanka, and is used as a rallying colour by Jewish settlers in the Gaza Strip.
• Orange has become the colour of opposition around the world.
• Orange was the rallying colour of the 2004–2005 Orange Revolution in Ukraine.
• Orange is the party colour of
• Fidesz-MPSZ in Hungary
• CD&V, Flanders, Belgium
• People's National Party, Jamaica
• People First Party, Republic of China (Taiwan)
• New Democratic Party, Canada
• June List, Sweden
• Bharatiya Janata Party, India
• Pora or "High Time", Ukraine—see Orange Revolution
• Liberal Party, United Kingdom
• Social Democratic Party, Portugal
• People's Party (Spain) since 2005
• Orange is the corporate colour of:
• Kall (Faroe Islands)
• Orange SA (French, operate pan-european)
• easyJet (UK)
• Euskaltel (Spain) (including its cycling team Euskaltel Euskadi).
• Meteor Mobile Communications (Ireland)
• In sports,
• Orange is the official colour of Syracuse University (USA), and the name of its several sports teams. In American collegiate athletics, orange is combined with other colours to form the colours for Auburn University, University of Texas Longhorns, and University of Tennessee, among others.
• Orange is the colour of the second equipation of Valencia CF (Spain). The Land of Valencia has oranges as a traditional produce.
• Orange also may be symbolic of the political concept of Democratic Socialism.
• Orange is the contrasting colour of blue and is highly visable against a clear sky. Therefore, orange is often used in safety. See: Safety orange.