blonde
5 synonyms and 2 antonyms for blonde, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Of hair, pale yellow, golden or very light in colour; of a person, having such hair.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use blonde
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Calling a woman a blonde as a noun can seem old-fashioned or dismissive; describing hair as blonde is entirely neutral.
Etymology
From French blonde, the feminine form of blond, meaning fair-haired.
Full origin of blonde →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between blond and blonde?
The distinction comes from French, where blond describes a man and blonde a woman. English keeps this loosely: blond for a man or boy, blonde for a woman or girl. American style guides increasingly use blond as the neutral adjective for hair of any owner, while British writers commonly use blonde throughout.
Is it rude to call someone a blonde?
Describing someone's hair as blonde is perfectly neutral. Using blonde as a noun for a woman can sound dated, and jokes about blondes being unintelligent are widely considered sexist, so most careful writers avoid the noun.