In color theory, what does the term "hue" signify?

In color theory, "hue" specifically refers to the name of a color, which represents its position in the color spectrum. This term distinguishes colors such as red, blue, green, and yellow from one another, allowing us to communicate and categorize colors effectively. Hue is fundamental in understanding color relationships and creating harmonious color schemes in art and design.

The other options pertain to different aspects of color. Brightness or darkness relates to value, which describes how light or dark a color is. Saturation refers to the intensity or purity of a color, indicating how vivid or muted it appears. The combination of primary colors is part of color mixing theory and relates to creating secondary and tertiary colors, but it doesn’t define hue itself. Thus, understanding hue is essential for any artistic exploration involving color.