ochre

American  

[oh-ker] / ˈoʊ kər /

noun

ochred, ochring

1. ocher.

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ochre British  

/ ˈəʊkərɪ, ˈəʊkrɪəs, ˈəʊkrəs, ˈəʊkrɔɪd, ˈəʊkə, ˈəʊkərəs, ˈəʊkrɪ /

noun

1. any of various natural earths containing ferric oxide, silica, and alumina: used as yellow or red pigments

2. 1. a moderate yellow-orange to orange colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      an ochre dress

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verb

1. (tr) to colour with ochre

Other Word Forms

• ochreous
  adjective
• ochroid
  adjective
• ochrous
  adjective
• ochry
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of ochre

C15: from Old French ocre, from Latin ōchra, from Greek ōkhra, from ōkhros pale yellow

Example Sentences

He listened impassively to the reparations order, dressed in an ochre robe and a traditional white scarf.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

Objects placed alongside the dead, including stone tools, animal bones, and pieces of ochre, may also hint at early beliefs about an afterlife.

From Science Daily • Apr. 12, 2026

Throughout his career, Lowry favored mostly five colors: ochre, blue, black, white and red.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

It was unclear whether the dot was made with ochre, a natural clay pigment.

From BBC • May 27, 2025

Around them, the trees had started to turn, ochre and orange, scarlet red.

From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini