What does the term 'hue' refer to?

The term 'hue' specifically refers to the characteristic of a color that allows it to be classified or identified as red, blue, yellow, green, etc. It is the aspect of color that enables one to distinguish one color from another based solely on its shade or name—essentially the pure color itself without regard to lightness or darkness (which would relate to value) or intensity (which pertains to saturation). This means that when someone refers to a hue, they are talking about the specific name of a color, such as orange or violet. In color theory, understanding hues is fundamental because it forms the basis for the classification and manipulation of colors in various contexts, such as art, design, and fashion.