diff --git a/libvips/colour/LCh2Lab.c b/libvips/colour/LCh2Lab.c
index 76095d4c..8e3221f3 100644
--- a/libvips/colour/LCh2Lab.c
+++ b/libvips/colour/LCh2Lab.c
@@ -51,10 +51,10 @@
 
 #include "colour.h"
 
-typedef VipsColorimetric VipsLCh2Lab;
-typedef VipsColorimetricClass VipsLCh2LabClass;
+typedef VipsColourSpace VipsLCh2Lab;
+typedef VipsColourSpaceClass VipsLCh2LabClass;
 
-G_DEFINE_TYPE( VipsLCh2Lab, vips_LCh2Lab, VIPS_TYPE_COLORIMETRIC );
+G_DEFINE_TYPE( VipsLCh2Lab, vips_LCh2Lab, VIPS_TYPE_COLOUR_SPACE );
 
 /* Process a buffer of data.
  */
diff --git a/libvips/colour/LCh2UCS.c b/libvips/colour/LCh2UCS.c
index e9450d8d..564189d4 100644
--- a/libvips/colour/LCh2UCS.c
+++ b/libvips/colour/LCh2UCS.c
@@ -45,10 +45,10 @@
 
 #include "colour.h"
 
-typedef VipsColorimetric VipsLCh2UCS;
-typedef VipsColorimetricClass VipsLCh2UCSClass;
+typedef VipsColourSpace VipsLCh2UCS;
+typedef VipsColourSpaceClass VipsLCh2UCSClass;
 
-G_DEFINE_TYPE( VipsLCh2UCS, vips_LCh2UCS, VIPS_TYPE_COLORIMETRIC );
+G_DEFINE_TYPE( VipsLCh2UCS, vips_LCh2UCS, VIPS_TYPE_COLOUR_SPACE );
 
 /**
  * vips_col_L2Lucs:
diff --git a/libvips/colour/Lab2LCh.c b/libvips/colour/Lab2LCh.c
index 9b384a1c..39f6dace 100644
--- a/libvips/colour/Lab2LCh.c
+++ b/libvips/colour/Lab2LCh.c
@@ -45,10 +45,10 @@
 
 #include "colour.h"
 
-typedef VipsColorimetric VipsLab2LCh;
-typedef VipsColorimetricClass VipsLab2LChClass;
+typedef VipsColourSpace VipsLab2LCh;
+typedef VipsColourSpaceClass VipsLab2LChClass;
 
-G_DEFINE_TYPE( VipsLab2LCh, vips_Lab2LCh, VIPS_TYPE_COLORIMETRIC );
+G_DEFINE_TYPE( VipsLab2LCh, vips_Lab2LCh, VIPS_TYPE_COLOUR_SPACE );
 
 /**
  * vips_col_ab2h:
diff --git a/libvips/colour/Lab2XYZ.c b/libvips/colour/Lab2XYZ.c
index e0e110a4..d47fad75 100644
--- a/libvips/colour/Lab2XYZ.c
+++ b/libvips/colour/Lab2XYZ.c
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
 #include "colour.h"
 
 typedef struct _VipsLab2XYZ {
-	VipsColorimetric parent_instance;
+	VipsColourSpace parent_instance;
 
 	/* The colour temperature -- default to D65. 
 	 */
@@ -75,9 +75,9 @@ typedef struct _VipsLab2XYZ {
 
 } VipsLab2XYZ;
 
-typedef VipsColorimetricClass VipsLab2XYZClass;
+typedef VipsColourSpaceClass VipsLab2XYZClass;
 
-G_DEFINE_TYPE( VipsLab2XYZ, vips_Lab2XYZ, VIPS_TYPE_COLORIMETRIC );
+G_DEFINE_TYPE( VipsLab2XYZ, vips_Lab2XYZ, VIPS_TYPE_COLOUR_SPACE );
 
 /* Process a buffer of data.
  */
diff --git a/libvips/colour/UCS2LCh.c b/libvips/colour/UCS2LCh.c
index a7a0c9ed..4f1a2c8b 100644
--- a/libvips/colour/UCS2LCh.c
+++ b/libvips/colour/UCS2LCh.c
@@ -57,10 +57,10 @@ static float LI[1001];
 static float CI[3001];
 static float hI[101][361];
 
-typedef VipsColorimetric VipsUCS2LCh;
-typedef VipsColorimetricClass VipsUCS2LChClass;
+typedef VipsColourSpace VipsUCS2LCh;
+typedef VipsColourSpaceClass VipsUCS2LChClass;
 
-G_DEFINE_TYPE( VipsUCS2LCh, vips_UCS2LCh, VIPS_TYPE_COLORIMETRIC );
+G_DEFINE_TYPE( VipsUCS2LCh, vips_UCS2LCh, VIPS_TYPE_COLOUR_SPACE );
 
 /* Generate LI (inverse) tables. 
  */
diff --git a/libvips/colour/XYZ2Lab.c b/libvips/colour/XYZ2Lab.c
index 38539a4f..51fd266e 100644
--- a/libvips/colour/XYZ2Lab.c
+++ b/libvips/colour/XYZ2Lab.c
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@
 float cbrt_table[QUANT_ELEMENTS];
 
 typedef struct _VipsXYZ2Lab {
-	VipsColorimetric parent_instance;
+	VipsColourSpace parent_instance;
 
 	/* The colour temperature -- default to D65. 
 	 */
@@ -84,9 +84,9 @@ typedef struct _VipsXYZ2Lab {
 
 } VipsXYZ2Lab;
 
-typedef VipsColorimetricClass VipsXYZ2LabClass;
+typedef VipsColourSpaceClass VipsXYZ2LabClass;
 
-G_DEFINE_TYPE( VipsXYZ2Lab, vips_XYZ2Lab, VIPS_TYPE_COLORIMETRIC );
+G_DEFINE_TYPE( VipsXYZ2Lab, vips_XYZ2Lab, VIPS_TYPE_COLOUR_SPACE );
 
 static void *
 table_init( void *client )
diff --git a/libvips/colour/XYZ2Yxy.c b/libvips/colour/XYZ2Yxy.c
index dbc3a9e8..02575c46 100644
--- a/libvips/colour/XYZ2Yxy.c
+++ b/libvips/colour/XYZ2Yxy.c
@@ -46,10 +46,10 @@
 
 #include "colour.h"
 
-typedef VipsColorimetric VipsXYZ2Yxy;
-typedef VipsColorimetricClass VipsXYZ2YxyClass;
+typedef VipsColourSpace VipsXYZ2Yxy;
+typedef VipsColourSpaceClass VipsXYZ2YxyClass;
 
-G_DEFINE_TYPE( VipsXYZ2Yxy, vips_XYZ2Yxy, VIPS_TYPE_COLORIMETRIC );
+G_DEFINE_TYPE( VipsXYZ2Yxy, vips_XYZ2Yxy, VIPS_TYPE_COLOUR_SPACE );
 
 static void
 vips_XYZ2Yxy_line( VipsColour *colour, VipsPel *out, VipsPel **in, int width )
diff --git a/libvips/colour/Yxy2XYZ.c b/libvips/colour/Yxy2XYZ.c
index 9e7b2c5e..70b12692 100644
--- a/libvips/colour/Yxy2XYZ.c
+++ b/libvips/colour/Yxy2XYZ.c
@@ -46,10 +46,10 @@
 
 #include "colour.h"
 
-typedef VipsColorimetric VipsYxy2XYZ;
-typedef VipsColorimetricClass VipsYxy2XYZClass;
+typedef VipsColourSpace VipsYxy2XYZ;
+typedef VipsColourSpaceClass VipsYxy2XYZClass;
 
-G_DEFINE_TYPE( VipsYxy2XYZ, vips_Yxy2XYZ, VIPS_TYPE_COLORIMETRIC );
+G_DEFINE_TYPE( VipsYxy2XYZ, vips_Yxy2XYZ, VIPS_TYPE_COLOUR_SPACE );
 
 void
 vips_Yxy2XYZ_line( VipsColour *colour, VipsPel *out, VipsPel **in, int width )
diff --git a/libvips/colour/colour.c b/libvips/colour/colour.c
index 98fdd563..47c92c7e 100644
--- a/libvips/colour/colour.c
+++ b/libvips/colour/colour.c
@@ -156,13 +156,13 @@ vips_colour_init( VipsColour *colour )
 {
 }
 
-G_DEFINE_ABSTRACT_TYPE( VipsColorimetric, vips_colorimetric, VIPS_TYPE_COLOUR );
+G_DEFINE_ABSTRACT_TYPE( VipsColourSpace, vips_space, VIPS_TYPE_COLOUR );
 
 static int
-vips_colorimetric_build( VipsObject *object )
+vips_space_build( VipsObject *object )
 {
 	VipsColour *colour = VIPS_COLOUR( object );
-	VipsColorimetric *colorimetric = VIPS_COLORIMETRIC( object );
+	VipsColourSpace *space = VIPS_COLOUR_SPACE( object );
 
 	VipsImage **t;
 
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ vips_colorimetric_build( VipsObject *object )
 
 	/* We only process float.
 	 */
-	if( vips_cast_float( colorimetric->in, &t[0], NULL ) )
+	if( vips_cast_float( space->in, &t[0], NULL ) )
 		return( -1 );
 	colour->in[0] = t[0];
 
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ vips_colorimetric_build( VipsObject *object )
 	if( colour->in[0] )
 		g_object_ref( colour->in[0] );
 
-	if( VIPS_OBJECT_CLASS( vips_colorimetric_parent_class )->
+	if( VIPS_OBJECT_CLASS( vips_space_parent_class )->
 		build( object ) )
 		return( -1 );
 
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ vips_colorimetric_build( VipsObject *object )
 }
 
 static void
-vips_colorimetric_class_init( VipsColorimetricClass *class )
+vips_space_class_init( VipsColourSpaceClass *class )
 {
 	GObjectClass *gobject_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS( class );
 	VipsObjectClass *vobject_class = VIPS_OBJECT_CLASS( class );
@@ -221,19 +221,19 @@ vips_colorimetric_class_init( VipsColorimetricClass *class )
 	gobject_class->set_property = vips_object_set_property;
 	gobject_class->get_property = vips_object_get_property;
 
-	vobject_class->nickname = "colorimetric";
-	vobject_class->description = _( "colorimetric operations" );
-	vobject_class->build = vips_colorimetric_build;
+	vobject_class->nickname = "space";
+	vobject_class->description = _( "colour space transformations" );
+	vobject_class->build = vips_space_build;
 
 	VIPS_ARG_IMAGE( class, "in", 1, 
 		_( "Input" ), 
 		_( "Input image" ),
 		VIPS_ARGUMENT_REQUIRED_INPUT, 
-		G_STRUCT_OFFSET( VipsColorimetric, in ) );
+		G_STRUCT_OFFSET( VipsColourSpace, in ) );
 }
 
 static void
-vips_colorimetric_init( VipsColorimetric *colorimetric )
+vips_space_init( VipsColourSpace *space )
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/libvips/colour/colour.h b/libvips/colour/colour.h
index 355bf37a..8abba81f 100644
--- a/libvips/colour/colour.h
+++ b/libvips/colour/colour.h
@@ -88,34 +88,34 @@ GType vips_colour_get_type( void );
 /* A three float bands in, three float bands out colourspace transformation.
  */
 
-#define VIPS_TYPE_COLORIMETRIC (vips_colorimetric_get_type())
-#define VIPS_COLORIMETRIC( obj ) \
+#define VIPS_TYPE_COLOUR_SPACE (vips_space_get_type())
+#define VIPS_COLOUR_SPACE( obj ) \
 	(G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE_CAST( (obj), \
-		VIPS_TYPE_COLORIMETRIC, VipsColorimetric ))
-#define VIPS_COLORIMETRIC_CLASS( klass ) \
+		VIPS_TYPE_COLOUR_SPACE, VipsColourSpace ))
+#define VIPS_COLOUR_SPACE_CLASS( klass ) \
 	(G_TYPE_CHECK_CLASS_CAST( (klass), \
-		VIPS_TYPE_COLORIMETRIC, VipsColorimetricClass))
-#define VIPS_IS_COLORIMETRIC( obj ) \
-	(G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE_TYPE( (obj), VIPS_TYPE_COLORIMETRIC ))
-#define VIPS_IS_COLORIMETRIC_CLASS( klass ) \
-	(G_TYPE_CHECK_CLASS_TYPE( (klass), VIPS_TYPE_COLORIMETRIC ))
-#define VIPS_COLORIMETRIC_GET_CLASS( obj ) \
+		VIPS_TYPE_COLOUR_SPACE, VipsColourSpaceClass))
+#define VIPS_IS_COLOUR_SPACE( obj ) \
+	(G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE_TYPE( (obj), VIPS_TYPE_COLOUR_SPACE ))
+#define VIPS_IS_COLOUR_SPACE_CLASS( klass ) \
+	(G_TYPE_CHECK_CLASS_TYPE( (klass), VIPS_TYPE_COLOUR_SPACE ))
+#define VIPS_COLOUR_SPACE_GET_CLASS( obj ) \
 	(G_TYPE_INSTANCE_GET_CLASS( (obj), \
-		VIPS_TYPE_COLORIMETRIC, VipsColorimetricClass ))
+		VIPS_TYPE_COLOUR_SPACE, VipsColourSpaceClass ))
 
-typedef struct _VipsColorimetric {
+typedef struct _VipsColourSpace {
 	VipsColour parent_instance;
 
 	VipsImage *in;
 
-} VipsColorimetric;
+} VipsColourSpace;
 
-typedef struct _VipsColorimetricClass {
+typedef struct _VipsColourSpaceClass {
 	VipsColourClass parent_class;
 
-} VipsColorimetricClass;
+} VipsColourSpaceClass;
 
-GType vips_colorimetric_get_type( void );
+GType vips_space_get_type( void );
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }