a. [f. Gr. τρι-, TRI- + χρωματικός CHROMATIC; Gr. has τριχρώματος.] Having, showing, or pertaining to three colors; trichroic: spec. a. Optics. Having or relating to the three fundamental color-sensations (red, green, violet) of normal vision. b. Applied to lithographic printing in three colors; also to a photographic process by which the natural colors are reproduced by super-position or combination of photographs taken in three different-colored lights.
1891. in Cent. Dict. [in sense a].
1896. C. G. Zander, Phototrichromatic Printing, Pref. Trichromatic printing does not make the headway it deserves. Ibid., 36. The Young-Helmholtz theory of trichromatic vision.
1900. Westm. Gaz., 14 Nov., 2/1. ‘A Handbook of Photography in Colours’ … by Messrs. Thomas Bolas, Alexander Tallent, and Edgar Senior. The curious will find every phase of trichromatic photography expounded.
1904. Daily News, 17 Aug., 5. Trichromatic Toy-Books…. I noticed the other day that a large toy-book … was done entirely by the three-colour process—literally three printings in all.
So Trichromatism, the quality of being trichromatic; spec. (a) = TRICHROISM b; (b) combination of three different colors, as in painting or color-photography; Trichromatist, one who uses (only) three different colors or pigments.
1854. Blackw. Mag., LXXVI. 330. With the unsparing use of these three unmitigated colours only … decorators … should style themselves Trichromatists [not Polychromatists].
1895. Funk’s Stand. Dict., Trichromatism.
