umber

Alternative forms

• umbre (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle French ombre (“umber”), from terre d'ombre (“dark ochre”), from Old French umbre (“shade, shadow”), from Latin umbra. Doublet of umbra.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈʌmbə/
• (General American) enPR: ŭmʹbər, IPA^(key): /ˈʌmbɚ/
• Rhymes: -ʌmbə(ɹ)
• Hyphenation: um‧ber

Noun

umber (plural umbers)

1. A brown clay, somewhat darker than ochre, which contains iron and manganese oxides.

   umber colour:  

2. Alternative form of umbrere
3. A grayling.
4. A dusky brown African wading bird (Scopus umbretta) allied to the storks and herons.

Adjective

umber (not comparable)

1. Of a reddish brown colour, like that of the pigment.
   • J. R. Drake

     Their harps are of the umber shade / That hides the blush of waking day.

Verb

umber (third-person singular simple present umbers, present participle umbering, simple past and past participle umbered)

1. (transitive) To give a reddish-brown colour to.
   • Charles Hoyle, Exodus

     Armies o'er armies heap'd, the locusts came,
     Like clouds in autumn umbering all the sky […]

Derived terms

• burnt umber
• mottled umber
• umber moth

See also

• Appendix:Colors

Anagrams

• brume, umbre

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈum.ber/, [ˈʊm.bɛr]

Noun

umber m (genitive umbrī); second declension

1. a kind of sheep

References

• umber in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette

Etymology

Borrowed from English umber.

Noun

umber m (genitive singular [please provide], plural [please provide])

1. umber