diff --git a/lua/nvim-web-devicons.lua b/lua/nvim-web-devicons.lua
index 93791dcea..1d3974f8e 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-web-devicons.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-web-devicons.lua
@@ -14,20 +14,351 @@ local global_opts = {
   color_icons = true,
 }
 
+-- 8-bit, RGB hex
+-- from https://gist.github.com/chrisdiana/c71f224626b5b9516bdb
+local cterm_to_rgb_table = {
+  -- Primary 3-bit (8 colors). Unique representation!
+  [00] = "#000000",
+  [01] = "#800000",
+  [02] = "#008000",
+  [03] = "#808000",
+  [04] = "#000080",
+  [05] = "#800080",
+  [06] = "#008080",
+  [07] = "#c0c0c0",
+
+  -- Equivalent "bright" versions of original 8 colors.
+  [08] = "#808080",
+  [09] = "#ff0000",
+  [10] = "#00ff00",
+  [11] = "#ffff00",
+  [12] = "#0000ff",
+  [13] = "#ff00ff",
+  [14] = "#00ffff",
+  [15] = "#ffffff",
+
+  -- Strictly ascending.
+  [16] = "#000000",
+  [17] = "#00005f",
+  [18] = "#000087",
+  [19] = "#0000af",
+  [20] = "#0000d7",
+  [21] = "#0000ff",
+  [22] = "#005f00",
+  [23] = "#005f5f",
+  [24] = "#005f87",
+  [25] = "#005faf",
+  [26] = "#005fd7",
+  [27] = "#005fff",
+  [28] = "#008700",
+  [29] = "#00875f",
+  [30] = "#008787",
+  [31] = "#0087af",
+  [32] = "#0087d7",
+  [33] = "#0087ff",
+  [34] = "#00af00",
+  [35] = "#00af5f",
+  [36] = "#00af87",
+  [37] = "#00afaf",
+  [38] = "#00afd7",
+  [39] = "#00afff",
+  [40] = "#00d700",
+  [41] = "#00d75f",
+  [42] = "#00d787",
+  [43] = "#00d7af",
+  [44] = "#00d7d7",
+  [45] = "#00d7ff",
+  [46] = "#00ff00",
+  [47] = "#00ff5f",
+  [48] = "#00ff87",
+  [49] = "#00ffaf",
+  [50] = "#00ffd7",
+  [51] = "#00ffff",
+  [52] = "#5f0000",
+  [53] = "#5f005f",
+  [54] = "#5f0087",
+  [55] = "#5f00af",
+  [56] = "#5f00d7",
+  [57] = "#5f00ff",
+  [58] = "#5f5f00",
+  [59] = "#5f5f5f",
+  [60] = "#5f5f87",
+  [61] = "#5f5faf",
+  [62] = "#5f5fd7",
+  [63] = "#5f5fff",
+  [64] = "#5f8700",
+  [65] = "#5f875f",
+  [66] = "#5f8787",
+  [67] = "#5f87af",
+  [68] = "#5f87d7",
+  [69] = "#5f87ff",
+  [70] = "#5faf00",
+  [71] = "#5faf5f",
+  [72] = "#5faf87",
+  [73] = "#5fafaf",
+  [74] = "#5fafd7",
+  [75] = "#5fafff",
+  [76] = "#5fd700",
+  [77] = "#5fd75f",
+  [78] = "#5fd787",
+  [79] = "#5fd7af",
+  [80] = "#5fd7d7",
+  [81] = "#5fd7ff",
+  [82] = "#5fff00",
+  [83] = "#5fff5f",
+  [84] = "#5fff87",
+  [85] = "#5fffaf",
+  [86] = "#5fffd7",
+  [87] = "#5fffff",
+  [88] = "#870000",
+  [89] = "#87005f",
+  [90] = "#870087",
+  [91] = "#8700af",
+  [92] = "#8700d7",
+  [93] = "#8700ff",
+  [94] = "#875f00",
+  [95] = "#875f5f",
+  [96] = "#875f87",
+  [97] = "#875faf",
+  [98] = "#875fd7",
+  [99] = "#875fff",
+  [100] = "#878700",
+  [101] = "#87875f",
+  [102] = "#878787",
+  [103] = "#8787af",
+  [104] = "#8787d7",
+  [105] = "#8787ff",
+  [106] = "#87af00",
+  [107] = "#87af5f",
+  [108] = "#87af87",
+  [109] = "#87afaf",
+  [110] = "#87afd7",
+  [111] = "#87afff",
+  [112] = "#87d700",
+  [113] = "#87d75f",
+  [114] = "#87d787",
+  [115] = "#87d7af",
+  [116] = "#87d7d7",
+  [117] = "#87d7ff",
+  [118] = "#87ff00",
+  [119] = "#87ff5f",
+  [120] = "#87ff87",
+  [121] = "#87ffaf",
+  [122] = "#87ffd7",
+  [123] = "#87ffff",
+  [124] = "#af0000",
+  [125] = "#af005f",
+  [126] = "#af0087",
+  [127] = "#af00af",
+  [128] = "#af00d7",
+  [129] = "#af00ff",
+  [130] = "#af5f00",
+  [131] = "#af5f5f",
+  [132] = "#af5f87",
+  [133] = "#af5faf",
+  [134] = "#af5fd7",
+  [135] = "#af5fff",
+  [136] = "#af8700",
+  [137] = "#af875f",
+  [138] = "#af8787",
+  [139] = "#af87af",
+  [140] = "#af87d7",
+  [141] = "#af87ff",
+  [142] = "#afaf00",
+  [143] = "#afaf5f",
+  [144] = "#afaf87",
+  [145] = "#afafaf",
+  [146] = "#afafd7",
+  [147] = "#afafff",
+  [148] = "#afd700",
+  [149] = "#afd75f",
+  [150] = "#afd787",
+  [151] = "#afd7af",
+  [152] = "#afd7d7",
+  [153] = "#afd7ff",
+  [154] = "#afff00",
+  [155] = "#afff5f",
+  [156] = "#afff87",
+  [157] = "#afffaf",
+  [158] = "#afffd7",
+  [159] = "#afffff",
+  [160] = "#d70000",
+  [161] = "#d7005f",
+  [162] = "#d70087",
+  [163] = "#d700af",
+  [164] = "#d700d7",
+  [165] = "#d700ff",
+  [166] = "#d75f00",
+  [167] = "#d75f5f",
+  [168] = "#d75f87",
+  [169] = "#d75faf",
+  [170] = "#d75fd7",
+  [171] = "#d75fff",
+  [172] = "#d78700",
+  [173] = "#d7875f",
+  [174] = "#d78787",
+  [175] = "#d787af",
+  [176] = "#d787d7",
+  [177] = "#d787ff",
+  [178] = "#d7af00",
+  [179] = "#d7af5f",
+  [180] = "#d7af87",
+  [181] = "#d7afaf",
+  [182] = "#d7afd7",
+  [183] = "#d7afff",
+  [184] = "#d7d700",
+  [185] = "#d7d75f",
+  [186] = "#d7d787",
+  [187] = "#d7d7af",
+  [188] = "#d7d7d7",
+  [189] = "#d7d7ff",
+  [190] = "#d7ff00",
+  [191] = "#d7ff5f",
+  [192] = "#d7ff87",
+  [193] = "#d7ffaf",
+  [194] = "#d7ffd7",
+  [195] = "#d7ffff",
+  [196] = "#ff0000",
+  [197] = "#ff005f",
+  [198] = "#ff0087",
+  [199] = "#ff00af",
+  [200] = "#ff00d7",
+  [201] = "#ff00ff",
+  [202] = "#ff5f00",
+  [203] = "#ff5f5f",
+  [204] = "#ff5f87",
+  [205] = "#ff5faf",
+  [206] = "#ff5fd7",
+  [207] = "#ff5fff",
+  [208] = "#ff8700",
+  [209] = "#ff875f",
+  [210] = "#ff8787",
+  [211] = "#ff87af",
+  [212] = "#ff87d7",
+  [213] = "#ff87ff",
+  [214] = "#ffaf00",
+  [215] = "#ffaf5f",
+  [216] = "#ffaf87",
+  [217] = "#ffafaf",
+  [218] = "#ffafd7",
+  [219] = "#ffafff",
+  [220] = "#ffd700",
+  [221] = "#ffd75f",
+  [222] = "#ffd787",
+  [223] = "#ffd7af",
+  [224] = "#ffd7d7",
+  [225] = "#ffd7ff",
+  [226] = "#ffff00",
+  [227] = "#ffff5f",
+  [228] = "#ffff87",
+  [229] = "#ffffaf",
+  [230] = "#ffffd7",
+  [231] = "#ffffff",
+
+  -- Gray-scale range.
+  [232] = "#080808",
+  [233] = "#121212",
+  [234] = "#1c1c1c",
+  [235] = "#262626",
+  [236] = "#303030",
+  [237] = "#3a3a3a",
+  [238] = "#444444",
+  [239] = "#4e4e4e",
+  [240] = "#585858",
+  [241] = "#626262",
+  [242] = "#6c6c6c",
+  [243] = "#767676",
+  [244] = "#808080",
+  [245] = "#8a8a8a",
+  [246] = "#949494",
+  [247] = "#9e9e9e",
+  [248] = "#a8a8a8",
+  [249] = "#b2b2b2",
+  [250] = "#bcbcbc",
+  [251] = "#c6c6c6",
+  [252] = "#d0d0d0",
+  [253] = "#dadada",
+  [254] = "#e4e4e4",
+  [255] = "#eeeeee",
+}
+
+local light78 = 255 * 7 / 8
+local light68 = 255 * 6 / 8
+local light58 = 255 * 5 / 8
+local light12 = 255 / 2
+local light13 = 255 / 3
+
+local function darken_color(rrggbb)
+  local r, g, b = rrggbb:match "%#(%x%x)(%x%x)(%x%x)"
+  r, g, b = tonumber("0x" .. r), tonumber("0x" .. g), tonumber("0x" .. b)
+  -- luminance formula: see https://stackoverflow.com/a/596243
+  local lum = 0.299 * r + 0.587 * g + 0.114 * b
+  if lum < light13 then -------------------- darkest tertile
+    return rrggbb
+  elseif lum < light12 then ---------------- second darkest quartile
+    r = bit.tohex(r / 4 * 3):sub(-2)
+    g = bit.tohex(g / 4 * 3):sub(-2)
+    b = bit.tohex(b / 4 * 3):sub(-2)
+  elseif lum < light58 then ---------------- lightest octiles: first
+    r = bit.tohex(r / 3 * 2):sub(-2)
+    g = bit.tohex(g / 3 * 2):sub(-2)
+    b = bit.tohex(b / 3 * 2):sub(-2)
+  elseif lum < light68 then ---------------- lightest octiles: second
+    r = bit.tohex(r / 2):sub(-2)
+    g = bit.tohex(g / 2):sub(-2)
+    b = bit.tohex(b / 2):sub(-2)
+  elseif lum < light78 then ---------------- lightest octiles: third
+    r = bit.tohex(r / 3):sub(-2)
+    g = bit.tohex(g / 3):sub(-2)
+    b = bit.tohex(b / 3):sub(-2)
+  else ------------------------------------- lightest octile
+    r = bit.tohex(r / 5):sub(-2)
+    g = bit.tohex(g / 5):sub(-2)
+    b = bit.tohex(b / 5):sub(-2)
+  end
+  return string.format("#%s%s%s", r, g, b)
+end
+
+---@param cterm string: The cterm color number
+---@return string rgb Color value in `#rrggbb` format
+local function cterm_to_rgb(cterm)
+  return cterm_to_rgb_table[tonumber(cterm)]
+end
+
 -- Set the current icons tables, depending on the 'background' option.
 local function refresh_icons()
   local theme
+  local overrides
   if vim.o.background == "light" then
     theme = require "nvim-web-devicons.icons-light"
+    overrides = vim.tbl_map(function(value)
+      local new_val = {
+        icon = value.icon,
+        -- one of color or cterm_color should be present, and we will derive
+        -- everything to the `color` field to prevent lots of color translating
+        color = value.color and darken_color(value.color) or value.cterm_color and darken_color(
+          cterm_to_rgb(value.cterm_color)
+        ) or nil,
+        name = value.name,
+      }
+      return new_val
+    end, global_opts.override)
   else
     theme = require "nvim-web-devicons.icons-default"
+    overrides = global_opts.override
+    -- populate `color` field if only `cterm_color` is present
+    vim.tbl_map(function(value)
+      if not value.color and value.cterm_color then
+        value.color = cterm_to_rgb(value.cterm_color)
+      end
+    end, overrides)
   end
 
   icons_by_filename = theme.icons_by_filename
   icons_by_file_extension = theme.icons_by_file_extension
   icons_by_operating_system = theme.icons_by_operating_system
   icons = vim.tbl_extend("keep", {}, icons_by_filename, icons_by_file_extension, icons_by_operating_system)
-  icons = vim.tbl_extend("force", icons, global_opts.override)
+  icons = vim.tbl_extend("force", icons, overrides)
 end
 
 -- Map of filetypes -> icon names