color management system - technical definition

Software that translates the colors of an original image into the truest representation obtainable on the output device. Color management works from a profile of the output device, typically a digital printer or offset press, and works backward to the source of the material such as a scanner.

Starting from the colors in real life, the color gamut decreases as it moves to analog film to a digital scanner to a printer. A monitor is also capable of displaying a greater range of colors than the printing process. Color management takes all of these factors into consideration.