pastel 1
/pa stel"/ ; esp. Brit. /pas"tl/ , n.
1. a color having a soft, subdued shade.
2. a kind of dried paste made of pigments ground with chalk and compounded with gum water.
3. a chalklike crayon made from such paste.
4. the art of drawing with such crayons.
5. a drawing so made.
6. a short, light prose study or sketch.
adj.
7. having a soft, subdued shade.
8. drawn with pastels: a pastel portrait.
[ 1655-65; pastello pastellus, var. of L pastillus (see PASTILLE) ]
pastel 2
/pas"tel/ , n.
1. the woad plant.
2. the dye made from it.
[ 1570-80; pastellum (neut.) woad (orig. woad paste), for LL pastellus (masc.), dim. of pasta PASTE; change of gender by influence of L glastum woad ]