From Middle English blee ("colour#Noun"), from Old English blēo, bleoh, from Proto-West Germanic *blīu ("colour, blee; [[glad, light#Adjective"). Cognate with Scots ble, blee, blie, Old Frisian blī, blie (whence North Frisian bläy), Old Saxon blī ("colour, hue; complexion"), Old High German blio ("colour, hue"), blīo (modern German Blei), Danish bly ("lead"), Icelandic blý ("lead"). Perhaps related to Old English blīþe ("[[joyous") (whence blithe). See also bly.
Associated with Smash Hits magazine, where it may have originated.
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