Flying the Red, White and Blue... Words! Quiz

Answer: blue

A favourite summer fruit - delicious in pancakes and muffins (among other things) - the blueberry is the edible fruit of various shrubs of the Vaccinium genus. These berries owe their common name to their dark, purplish-blue colour, due to the presence of pigments known as anthocyanins. Their name in other languages ("bleuet" in French, "Blaubeere" in German, and "blåbær" in Norwegian) also emphasizes the berries' blueness.

According to both the Merriam-Webster dictionary and the OED, the first known use of the word blueberry dates from 1594, when it appeared in "Acts of Parliament of Scotland".

Answer: white

First recorded in the 1660s, whiteface is a term used to describe a form of theatrical makeup consisting of a white base, often made of greasepaint. When used by clowns, it creates a blank canvas on which they can paint their exaggerated features. In fact, whiteface clowns are the oldest type of traditional circus clowns.

While the use of white face paint in acting is thought to have begun in antiquity, in recent years "whiteface" has become associated with a type of performance in which a person of colour applies white makeup in order to appear light-skinned - a reversal of the use of blackface by white performers. In recent years, both of these uses have become a subject of controversy, as they are accused of perpetuating harmful stereotypes. Whiteface, however, is considered more acceptable, and still used by clowns, mimes, and some music performers (such as the followers of the goth subculture).

Answer: red

The term redcoat mainly refers to British soldiers, in particular during the 18th century. The name stems from their distinctive scarlet uniforms, which were first introduced in the Tudor era, and widely used well into the 19th century. Originally dyed with cochineal (a dye derived from a scale insect) or rose madder, red uniforms are still used for ceremonial full dress in the UK and many Commonwealth countries.

In modern times, redcoat mainly appears in historical contexts: in the US, the term refers to the British soldiers during the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). At the time, it was used informally, as attested by letters written by George Washington and other leaders - often with a somewhat derogatory intent. The word's first recorded use dates from the early 17th century.

Answer: blue

Bluegrass is a genre of American roots music that originated in the Appalachian region of the US. It was named after the Blue Grass Boys, the band that accompanied Bill Monroe, the musician who created the genre in the 1940s. The band in turn took its name from the bluegrass plant (Poa pratensis), an Old World grass that is widespread in their home state of Kentucky - hence nicknamed the "Bluegrass State". The first recorded use of bluegrass (referring to the plant) dates from 1751.

Bluegrass music is characterized by its exclusive use of acoustic instruments, such as the banjo, fiddle, and mandolin, as well as its layered vocal harmonies. Rooted in Scottish, Irish, and English folk music, as well as blues, gospel and jazz, this uniquely American genre is enjoyed by fans all over the world, and practiced also outside the US.

Answer: red

Today red-eye is often used - either as an adjective or a noun - to describe a late-night or overnight flight that arrives at its destination early in the morning. Though these flights are popular because of their generally lower price, they also cause passengers to lose sleep, and hence experience red, tired eyes. In photography, the word describes the phenomenon of a subject's eyes turning red when a photo is taken with a flash.

When the word was first attested in English in the 1810s, however, it referred to cheap whiskey - whose consumption can also cause one's eyes to turn red. The more modern use dates from the late 1960s. The coffee-based sauce from the Southern US known as red-eye gravy probably owes its name to the appearance of the mixture, which looks like a red human eye when poured into a bowl.

Answer: white

Coined in the mid-20th century in the US Midwest, whiteout describes a severe weather condition - also known as "milky weather" - in which a blizzard drastically reduces visibility. The term can also refer to polar weather conditions in which the clouds over snow produce a uniform whiteness, and objects cast no shadow. Whiteout was modeled on the already existing "blackout", which dates back from the early years of the 20th century.

White-out also refers to a white correction fluid introduced by BIC in 1966, and registered with the brand name "Wite-Out". As a verb, white-out means not only to cover an error in a text with such a fluid, but also to censor a text by deleting words. The Collins dictionary also reports the use of whiteout in British drug slang to mean "a sensation of blurred vision, faintness and nausea" caused by drug use.

Answer: blue

The term blueprint for the reproduction of a technical or engineering drawing originated in the mid-19th century, when the process of printing in white on a bright blue background was introduced by Sir John Herschel (1842). This process, now made largely obsolete by modern technology, allowed the production of an unlimited number of accurate copies of a drawing.

On the other hand, the word blueprint has remained in use, though mainly in a figurative sense - denoting a detailed plan of action, or something that serves as a model or guidance. As such, it is widely employed in journalism - generally as a noun, occasionally also as a verb.

Answer: red

First used in the 1830s, the word redneck originally described farmers who worked long hours in the sun - which caused their necks to turn red due to sunburn. The term subsequently became a byword for a white member of the rural working class of the Southern US, often associated with a lack of education and sophistication, as well as conservative social and political views.

Though there have been numerous attempts to reclaim the word to express pride in one's rural heritage, redneck is generally used in a disparaging way - though it is not as offensive as other terms that can be employed to refer to white Americans from a rural background.

Answer: white

In its literal meaning, whitewash refers to a mixture of chalked lime used for whitening surfaces: a bucket of whitewash famously appears in the second chapter of Mark Twain's novel "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". The first recorded uses of the word in English - both as a noun and a verb - date from the late 16th century. In the early 19th century, the verb whitewash became frequently used in the figurative meaning of concealing or absolving some kind of criminal or otherwise objectionable behaviour. Not surprisingly, the word often appears in a political context, or when referring to historical events.

In the context of racial relations, whitewash refers to any attempt to maximize the historical importance of white people, minimizing instead the contributions of non-white people. In the film industry, whitewashing is a casting practice - widespread in the past, not as much nowadays - in which a white performer is cast in the role of a non-white person.

Answer: blue

Generally used in a historical context, the term bluestocking describes a woman with intellectual interests. In mid-18th-century England, a group of women, led by Elizabeth Montagu, started hosting gatherings in order to discuss literature and other intellectual topics with the participation of men of letters. The derisive nickname of "Blue Stockings Society", initially given to the group by those who believed that women and intellectual pursuits did not mix, was later embraced by women who prized their intelligence and education.

The blue stockings in question, however, were not part of the ladies' costume, but were worn by one of their regular guests, botanist Benjamin Stillingfleet, who came to the gatherings wearing informal blue worsted stockings rather than the black silk stockings worn in formal occasions. According to the OED, the earliest known use of bluestocking may be older than the Blue Stockings Society (late 17th century). Today, the term is still used to describe women who are interested in intellectual or literary pursuits.

Answer: red

Though redwood can refer to any tree whose wood is reddish in colour or yields a red dye, the word most often denotes some of the largest and tallest tree species on Earth, the redwoods. The tallest of them all is the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) of California, a coniferous tree that can grow to a height over 115 m (308 ft). The name redwood stems from the intense red heartwood of these magnificent trees, which were called "palo colorado" (red tree) by Spanish Californians; the English name was given to them in 1795.

The earliest known use of redwood to describe the wood or bark of certain trees dates from around 1533. One such tree is the European red pine (Pinus sylvestris), which has orange-red bark.

Answer: white

A very descriptive term, whitewater refers to the frothy, opaque water that forms in rapids when a river's gradient changes, generating turbulence that traps air within the water. The word is also used to describe a river or creek characterized by many rapids. Outside a scientific context, whitewater is frequently used as an adjective in connection with words as canoeing, kayaking or rafting. These sports are popular in spite of the danger posed by fast-moving water.

According to both the Merriam-Webster and the OED, whitewater as a noun was first attested in English as early as the Middle English period. Its uses as an adjective and verb date from the mid-19th century.

Answer: blue

Bluebottle is the common English name given to various animal and plant species. It most frequently refers to blowflies of the genus Calliphora, characterized by their loud, buzzing noise and iridescent blue body, reminiscent of a blue glass bottle. In Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, the name is also applied to another animal - the jellyfish-like Portuguese man-o' war (Physalia), a marine creature known for its stinging tentacles. A large, wingless wasp, a butterfly, and the common cornflower are also called bluebottle due to their colour.

The OED also records a slang use of bluebottle to denote a member of the police. Of the botanical and zoological uses of the word, the oldest is the one denoting the cornflower, dating from the 15th century, while the others date from the 18th (insects) and 20th centuries (invertebrates).

Answer: red

Used as an adjective, generally before the noun "day", red-letter refers to something of special significance, worthy to be remembered - such as, for instance, a milestone birthday, or a promotion at work. The origin of the word, which was first recorded in English in the late 14th century, lies in the practice of marking holy days in red in church calendars - a practice that survives to this day in the Catholic Church.

When books were still written by hand, important texts - such as the headline of new chapter - were lettered in red to make them stand out. This practice was known as "rubrication" (from "ruber", the Latin word for red), and the headlines were called "rubrics". Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press, experimented with printing in two colours: however, the process proved to be too time-consuming for an entire Bible, and only a few examples of mechanical rubrication survive in the existing Gutenberg Bibles. In more recent times (starting from the early 20th century), the phrase "red letter edition" refers to Bibles which the words believed to have been spoken by Jesus Christ are printed in red ink.

Answer: white

Like whiteout, whiteboard was based on a preexisting "black" word - in this case blackboard, the well-known schoolroom fixture that owes its name to the material (slate) it is usually made of. Like a blackboard, a whiteboard is a hard and smooth white surface that is used for writing or drawing, though markers are used rather than chalk. Nowadays, whiteboards are far more common than blackboards, not only in schools, but also in offices and other workplaces, and sometimes also in homes. The popular videoconferencing software Zoom has a feature called Whiteboard that can be shared by participants.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, whiteboard was first recorded in English in the early 1950s, though the OED reports a considerably earlier date (1883).