Teal vs Turquoise vs Aqua vs Mint: 8 Key Differences

Often the colors red, green, yellow and blue are easy for many people to differentiate. However, at tertiary level of color classification, some colors closely resemble other colors while some appear to be too technical in terms of the names they possess. Consequently, this creates confusion as to how different the colors are to others within the same range.

Example of colors that often creates confusion includes aqua, aquamarine, turquoise, teal and mint. These colors appear in the ranges of green to blue with an appearance that is approximately close to each other. In this article, get a clear distinction between aqua, teal, turquoise and mint.

Teal

The Cambridge Dictionary defines Teal as a greenish-blue color. The word teal is often used colloquially to refer to shades of cyan in general. The name teal comes from the name of a common bird, the teal, which usually has a similar color stripe on its head. Teal has been a common color throughout the 19^th century with many sporting teams adopting it for their uniforms.

Teal is usually created by mixing blue into a green base or deepened as needed with black or gray. More importantly, there are two primary shades of teal; they include teal blue and teal green. Teal is a very versatile shade and it complements very well with many other color shades like red, burgundy, maroon, yellow, magenta, silver or cobalt blue. The hexadecimal code of teal is #008080.

In color psychology, teal symbolizes rejuvenation, open communication, faith and clarity of though. For Tibetan monks, teal is symbolic of the infinity of the sea and sky while it is the color of truth and faith for Egyptians. Teal has been used for a long time as the default wallpaper of Windows 95. Teal is also used as a theme color for Ovarian Cancer awareness. Ovarian cancer survivors and supporters wear teal bracelets, T-shirts, teal ribbons and hats during their public awareness campaigns.

Turquoise

In geology, turquoise is an opaque, blue-to- green gemstone mineral that is a hydrated phosphate of copper and aluminum. In this regard, the name turquoise is used in color description, to describe a shade of greenish blue color. The first recorded use of turquoise as a color name in English was in 1573.

The turquoise color can be described as a color similar to the color of shallow sea water. With regard to its own color, turquoise also seems to have a green color that slightly overpowers its blue shade. It is also important to note that there are several shades of turquoise and they include dark turquoise, medium turquoise, Celeste and light turquoise. The hexadecimal code for turquoise is #30D5C8.

In color psychology, turquoise symbolizes serenity, confidence, and peace of mind, wholeness, spiritual grounding, energy and mental clarity. Turquoise is usually considered feminine and a perfect choice for any special occasion. Turquoise is a versatile color shade that looks great when matched with a range of other colors such as yellow, pink, maroon and even white.

Aqua

The word aqua means water in Latin. Aqua is a greenish-blue color, a variation of color cyan. In other words, it is a variation of cyan that sits between green and blue color. In computer graphics, Cyan and aqua are usually regarded as the same color and normally used interchangeably. The hexadecimal code for aqua is #00FFFF.

Aqua color is versatile in nature with a vibrant striking tone and thus it is often a choice in various aspects of design. Aqua has both warming and cooling effects in design. Aqua can be matched with a range of colors such as gray, dark, black, yellow or bright orange. In color psychology, aqua symbolizes vitality, trust and feeling of reinvigoration.

Mint

Mint is a light, vibrant tint of green that resembles the color of green pigments of mint plant. With the right application that is full of creativity, mint color triggers freshness and lightness. Mint color combines perfectly with lilacs and blues for a clean and gentle effect or against monochromatic gray tones as a feature color to help highlight and bring something unique to your design. The hexadecimal code for mint color is #3EB489. In color psychology, mint symbolizes cheerfulness, freshness and wholeness.

Also Read: Difference Between Maroon And Burgundy

Teal vs Turquoise vs Aqua vs Mint In Tabular Form

TEAL	TURQUOISE	AQUA	MINT
The name teal comes from the name of a common bird, the teal, which usually has a similar color stripe on its head.	The name turquoise comes from the, turquoise which is a blue-green gemstone mineral.	The word Aqua comes from Latin word, aqua meaning water.	Named after the mint plant’s pale green leaves.
Generally, has a bluish-green undertone.	Features a balanced mix of blue and green, with a slightly warmer undertone.	Tends to have a cooler, more pronounced green undertone.	Has a distinct cool green undertone.
A darker, more saturated shade, often leaning towards blue with a greenish undertone.	Slightly lighter than teal, with a more balanced mix of blue and green.	A brighter and lighter shade, leaning more towards green.	A pale, pastel shade with a noticeable greenish tint.
Can be darker and less bright compared to the other shades.	Generally brighter than teal but not as bright as aqua and mint.	Bright and vibrant, often associated with tropical waters.	Soft and pale, with a gentle brightness.
The hexadecimal code of teal is #008080.	The hexadecimal code for turquoise is #30D5C8.	The hexadecimal code for aqua is #00FFFF.	The hexadecimal code for mint color is #3EB489.
Complements well with many other color shades like red, burgundy, maroon, yellow, magenta, silver or cobalt blue.	Looks great when matched with a range of other colors such as yellow, pink, maroon and even white.	Aqua can be matched with gray, dark, black, yellow or bright orange.	Mint color combines perfectly with lilacs and blues for a clean and gentle effect.
Symbolizes rejuvenation, open communication, faith and clarity of though.	Symbolizes serenity, confidence, and peace of mind, wholeness, spiritual grounding, energy and mental clarity.	Symbolizes vitality, trust and feeling of reinvigoration.	Symbolizes cheerfulness, freshness and wholeness.
Often used in interior design for a rich and sophisticated look.	Associated with a sense of tranquility and is commonly used in jewelry and fashion.	Elicits a fresh and calming feeling, frequently used in beach-themed designs.	Evokes a sense of nostalgia and is popular in vintage-inspired and pastel color schemes.

Also Read: Difference Between Navy Blue, Cobalt Blue And Royal Blue

Summary

The hexadecimal code for aqua is #00FFFF.
The hexadecimal code for mint color is #3EB489.
The hexadecimal code of teal is #008080.
The hexadecimal code for turquoise is #30D5C8.
Turquoise is much lighter than aqua.
Turquoise has relatively greener shade over its blue shade compared to aqua which has the same shades of blue and green.
In color psychology, teal symbolizes rejuvenation, open communication, faith and clarity of though.
In color psychology, turquoise symbolizes serenity, confidence, and peace of mind, wholeness, spiritual grounding, energy and mental clarity.
In color psychology, aqua symbolizes vitality, trust and feeling of reinvigoration.
In color psychology, mint symbolizes cheerfulness, freshness and wholeness.