bistre

American  

[bis-ter] / ˈbɪs tər /

Or bister

noun

1. a brown pigment extracted from the soot of wood, often used in pen and wash drawings.

2. a yellowish to dark-brown color.

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bistre British  

/ ˈbɪstə /

noun

1. a transparent water-soluble brownish-yellow pigment made by boiling the soot of wood, used for pen and wash drawings

2. 1. a yellowish-brown to dark brown colour

   2. ( as modifier )

      bistre paint

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Other Word Forms

• bistred adjective

Etymology

Origin of bistre

1720–30; < French, Middle French, of obscure origin

Example Sentences

No. 76 of eighty copies printed on Japanese vellum, with frontispiece in two colours, black and bistre.

From A Catalogue of Books in English Later than 1700 (Vol 2 of 3) Forming a portion of the library of Robert Hoe by Various

P. 4-9 cm. compact, exp. mealy then glabrous, pallid rusty; g. adnate, very broad, grey then purplish bistre; s. 7-12 cm. whitish, apex mealy; sp.

From European Fungus Flora: Agaricaceae by Massee, George

No. 7 of one hundred and sixty copies printed on Japanese vellum, with full-page illustrations in two colours, black and bistre.

From A Catalogue of Books in English Later than 1700 (Vol 2 of 3) Forming a portion of the library of Robert Hoe by Various

Hope, and Charity, Raphael:—circular medallions in bistre, which once formed a predella for "the Entombment" in the Borghese gallery.   2nd Room.—

From Walks in Rome by Hare, Augustus J. C.

Inks are made of pure black, slightly tempered with bistre or burnt sienna, and the shade can be varied according to taste.

From A Treatise on Etching by Lalanne, Maxime