sallower

Adjective

sallow (comparative sallower, superlative sallowest)

1. (most regions) Of a sickly pale colour.
   • Jesu Maria, what a deal of brine
     Hath wash’d thy sallow cheeks for Rosaline!c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...
2. (Ireland) Of a tan colour, associated with people from southern Europe or East Asia.
   • The girls are mostly Slavic-pretty, long-limbed with high cheekbones, sallow skin and green eyes. They are the closest thing to supermodels that Mulhuddart has ever seen.2007 December 23, David McWilliams, We must begin the culture debate
3. Having skin (especially on the face) of a sickly pale colour.
   • Time is jealous of you, and wars against your lilies and your roses. You will become sallow, and hollow-cheeked, and dull-eyed.1891, Oscar Wilde, “chapter 2”, in The Picture of Dorian Gray, London; New York, N.Y.: Ward Lock & Co., →OCLC
4. Having a similar pale, yellowish colour.
   • The terrible descriptions were so real and vivid, that the sallow pages seemed to turn red with gore […]1838, Boz [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], Oliver Twist; […], volume (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC
5. Foul; murky; sickly.
   • Mr. President, the sallow air of our cities, the blackened sands of our seashores, our lakes and harbors reeking of sewage and depleted of oxygen are but a part of the sad legacy of the idea that nature can be treated as a servant, blindly obedient to every want, whim or pleasure of man.1972, United States. Congress. House. Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. Subcommittee on Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation, Predatory Mammals and Endangered Species, page 559

See all 9 meanings of sallow