(gettext.info)The TERM variable

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9.11.2 The environment variable `TERM'
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   The environment variable `TERM' contains a identifier for the text
window's capabilities.  You can get a detailed list of these
cababilities by using the `infocmp' command, using `man 5 terminfo' as a
reference.

   When producing text with embedded color directives, `msgcat' looks
at the `TERM' variable.  Text windows today typically support at least
8 colors.  Often, however, the text window supports 16 or more colors,
even though the `TERM' variable is set to a identifier denoting only 8
supported colors.  It can be worth setting the `TERM' variable to a
different value in these cases:

`xterm'
     `xterm' is in most cases built with support for 16 colors.  It can
     also be built with support for 88 or 256 colors (but not both).
     You can try to set `TERM' to either `xterm-16color',
     `xterm-88color', or `xterm-256color'.

`rxvt'
     `rxvt' is often built with support for 16 colors.  You can try to
     set `TERM' to `rxvt-16color'.

`konsole'
     `konsole' too is often built with support for 16 colors.  You can
     try to set `TERM' to `konsole-16color' or `xterm-16color'.

   After setting `TERM', you can verify it by invoking `msgcat
--color=test' and seeing whether the output looks like a reasonable
color map.