teal

Pluralteals

1. 1
   nouncountable or uncountable

   A dark bluish-green color, close to a deep shade of cyan.

   The shade of shallow tropical water, sitting between ocean blue and forest green.

   The designer chose teal for the lobby to give it a cool, calming feel.

   Against the brass fittings, the deep teal of the cabinets really stood out.

   Similarturquoise, aquamarine

2. 2
   adjective

   Of a bluish-green color, resembling a dark blend of blue and green.

   The designer chose teal upholstery to offset the pale walls.

   His old truck was a faded teal that had dulled over the years.

   Similarturquoise, aquamarine

   Note

   The adjective compares with more and most rather than -er and -est, so the forms are a more teal shade and the most teal of the samples. It can come before a noun (teal upholstery) or after a linking verb (the truck was teal). It also takes tone words such as dark, deep or faded. The noun names the color itself.

3. 3
   nouncountable

   A small, brightly colored freshwater duck of the genus Anas, with a notably short neck.

   A teal burst from the reeds as we approached the water's edge.

   Birdwatchers recorded three teal feeding among the mallards.

   Note

   The bird carries the original name, and it is old and purely Germanic. Middle English tele probably comes from an Old English *tǣle that never survived in writing. Its relatives include West Frisian tjilling and Dutch taling, and all go back to Proto-Germanic *tailijaz, a word of unknown origin with no kin outside Germanic. Every other use of teal descends from this same word.

4. 4
   nounAustraliacountablebefore a noun

   An independent political candidate, especially in Australia, who campaigns on climate action and integrity while holding broadly moderate economic views.

   Named for the blend of conservative blue and environmental green that defines their politics.

   The teal unseated a cabinet minister in a traditionally safe conservative electorate.

   Across several suburban seats, teals reshaped the balance of power in parliament.

   Note

   Australian politics took the name from a campaign color, the bluish-green shade, and it labels a loose group of independents, not a party. It works mostly as a modifier: teal independents, teal cross benchers, even a Liberal "teal strategy" for courting the same voters. Used as a noun it usually appears in the plural, as in The Canberra Times headline "Teals, Greens list watchdog demands" (2022). Source

   Checked 30 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

   • The Australian political name derives from the bluish-green campaign colour. abc.net.au
   • The teals are a loose movement of independents rather than a political party. sbs.com.au
   • A Liberal approach to attracting environmentally minded inner-city voters has been described as a “teal strategy”. ipa.org.au
   • The Canberra Times published the headline “Teals, Greens list watchdog demands” in 2022. en.wiktionary.org

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