Pantone Glossary

Definitions of Pantone and color-science terms, from PMS to Delta E 2000. Written for designers, printers, and anyone who works with color.

Pantone Matching System (PMS): A standardized color reproduction system created by Pantone LLC in 1963. Each color has a unique code (e.g. "185 C") so the same color can be precisely reproduced across different materials, printing processes, and manufacturers.
Pantone Coated (C): Pantone colors designed to be printed on coated (glossy, smooth) paper. Coated inks sit on top of the paper and appear more vibrant and reflective. Codes end with "C", e.g. "185 C".
Pantone Uncoated (U): Pantone colors designed to be printed on uncoated (matte, absorbent) paper. Uncoated inks soak into the paper, appearing duller and lighter. Codes end with "U", e.g. "185 U".
Pantone TCX: Textile Cotton eXtended. The Pantone reference system for cotton textiles, used in fashion, home, and interior design. Colors are printed on cotton swatches.
Pantone TPG: Textile Paper "Green". The paper simulation of TCX colors, used for presentations and color specification before fabric is available. Lighter and more portable than TCX.
Pantone TPX: Textile Paper eXtended. The predecessor to TPG, used for textile paper swatches. Largely superseded by TPG.
Pantone Color of the Year: An annual color selection by Pantone LLC, announced in December, intended to reflect cultural and design trends for the upcoming year. First announced in 2000.
CMYK: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black — the four process inks used in commercial printing. CMYK is a subtractive color model: ink absorbs light, reducing the colors you see.
RGB: Red, Green, Blue — the three primary colors of light used on digital screens. RGB is an additive color model: combining more color makes lighter, brighter results.
HEX: A hexadecimal color code used on the web, e.g. "#E4002B". HEX is a compact notation for RGB values, where each channel is represented by 2 hex digits.
HSL: Hue, Saturation, Lightness — a color model used in CSS and design tools. More intuitive than RGB for adjusting tints and shades.
HSV / HSB: Hue, Saturation, Value (or Brightness) — an alternative color model to HSL, common in color pickers.
CIELAB: A perceptually uniform color space defined by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE). LAB values describe color as Lightness (L*), green–red axis (a*), and blue–yellow axis (b*). Distances in LAB approximate human color perception.
Delta E (ΔE): A measure of perceived color difference. Delta E 1976 is the Euclidean distance in CIELAB; Delta E 2000 is the industry standard, refined for perceptual accuracy. ΔE under 1 is imperceptible; above 5 is clearly different.
Delta E 2000: The most accurate modern formula for color difference, published by CIE in 2000. It adjusts for perceptual non-uniformities in different color regions (blues, neutrals, etc.).
Pantone Color Bridge: A Pantone reference tool that shows side-by-side comparisons of Pantone spot colors with their closest CMYK process equivalents. Used for print production planning.
Spot color: A pre-mixed ink used in printing, as opposed to CMYK process colors. Spot colors (like Pantone) produce consistent, vivid results and are cheaper for single-color jobs.
Process color: A printing method using four inks (CMYK) combined on press to create the full color spectrum. Cheaper for multi-color jobs but can't reproduce all Pantone spot colors exactly.
Gamut: The range of colors a device or color system can reproduce. Pantone spot colors often fall outside the CMYK gamut — this is why conversions to CMYK lose vibrancy.
WCAG contrast ratio: A measure of how distinguishable two colors are, used for accessibility. The ratio ranges from 1:1 (identical) to 21:1 (black on white). WCAG AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text.
sRGB: Standard RGB color space defined by IEC 61966-2-1. The default color space for the web and most consumer devices.
D65 illuminant: A standard daylight illuminant defined by CIE (approximately 6500K). Used as the reference white point for most screen color calculations.
Coated paper: Paper treated with a coating (clay or polymer) that creates a smooth, sealed surface. Coated papers absorb less ink and reproduce vibrant Pantone colors more accurately.
Uncoated paper: Paper without a coating, more porous and absorbent. Uncoated papers absorb more ink, so printed colors appear duller and lighter than on coated stock.
Color distance: The perceived difference between two colors. Measured perceptually using Delta E in a uniform color space like CIELAB.
Colorimeter: An instrument that measures color by filtering light reflected from a surface. Less precise than a spectrophotometer but adequate for screen and surface matching.
Spectrophotometer: A precision instrument that measures color by analyzing the full spectrum of reflected light. Used in professional color matching and ICC profile creation.
ICC profile: A file describing the color characteristics of a device (monitor, printer, scanner). ICC profiles enable consistent color between devices.
Pantone Fashion, Home + Interiors (FHI): The Pantone system for textiles, fashion, home furnishing, and interior design. Uses TCX, TPG, and TPX references.
Pantone Color of the Year 2026: Cloud Dancer (11-4201) — Pantone's Color of the Year 2026. A serene white hue signaling mindfulness and fresh starts.
Pantone Color of the Year 2025: Mocha Mousse (17-1230) — Pantone's Color of the Year 2025. A rich, indulgent brown evoking comfort and natural elegance.
Pantone Color of the Year 2024: Peach Fuzz (13-1023) — Pantone's Color of the Year 2024. A soft, gentle peach symbolizing empathy and warmth.