Ostentatious Vita Wasabi

Latin ostentātiōnis, display — adjectival suffix -ous, derived from ostendere (to show). As a color modifier, ostentatious implies a saturated-and-attention-demanding-and-elaborate quality, the bright color of Belle-Époque-and-Gilded-Age showy-luxury-display interior-decoration. Sits at the bright-and-flamboyant end of the grid, parallel to flamboyant and showy in usage.

Latin vita, life-or-living. As a color modifier, vita implies a Latin-life-and-living-quality quality, the visual register of Roman-vita-and-dolce-vita-Latin-life hand-Latin-life-and-living-quality Roman-vita-and-dolce-vita-Latin-life-and-Vergilian-pastoral vita-and-Latin-life-and-living-quality surfaces under Roman-vita-and-dolce-vita-Latin-life-and-Vergilian-pastoral Augustan-Rome-and-Renaissance-Italy living-Roman-light. Sits at the modifier-and-Latin end of the grid, parallel to amor and via in usage.

Eutrema japonicum, the river-grown rhizome from the cold streams of Honshu, ground fresh into the green paste that accompanies sushi in traditional Japanese restaurants. Most wasabi served outside Japan is dyed horseradish — the real plant is rare and expensive. The color refers to fresh-grated wasabi: a soft, slightly muted yellow-green with the matte finish of a wet plant cell wall, brighter than sage, drier than matcha.