Sterile Throb Lazuli

Latin sterilis, barren / not-fertile — sharing root with Greek steiros (barren). As a color modifier, sterile implies a clear-and-medical-clean-and-stripped quality, the crisp color of operating-theater surgical-environment white-and-stainless-steel surfaces. Sits at the crisp-and-clean end of the grid, parallel to sanitary and hygienic in usage.

Middle English throbben, to-beat-strongly. As a color modifier, throb implies a pulsing-and-beating-and-rhythmic quality, the visual register of racing-pulse-and-temple-throb hand-pulsing-and-beating-and-rhythmic racing-pulse-and-temple-throb-and-heartbeat throbbed-and-pulsing-and-beating-and-rhythmic surfaces under racing-pulse-and-temple-throb-and-heartbeat fevered-and-quickened-and-rhythmic candlelit-bedside-light. Sits at the modifier-and-mood end of the grid, parallel to pang and pulse in usage.

Passerina amoena, the lazuli bunting — a North American songbird whose males display saturated deep-blue plumage with white wing bars and chestnut breasts. Named for the gemstone (lapis lazuli) the bird's plumage resembles. The color refers to a male lazuli bunting in breeding plumage: a saturated, slightly cool deep blue.