umber

American  

[uhm-ber] / ˈʌm bər /

noun

1. an earth consisting chiefly of a hydrated oxide of iron and some oxide of manganese, used in its natural state as a brown pigment raw umber or, after heating, as a reddish-brown pigment burnt umber.

2. the color of such a pigment; dark dusky brown or dark reddish brown.

3. Ichthyology. the European grayling, Thymallus thymallus.

4. North England Dialect. shade; shadow.

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adjective

1. of the color umber.

verb (used with object)

1. to color with or as if with umber.

umber British  

/ ˈʌmbə /

noun

1. any of various natural brown earths containing ferric oxide together with lime and oxides of aluminium, manganese, and silicon See also burnt umber

2. any of the dark brown to greenish-brown colours produced by this pigment

3. short for umber moth

4. obsolete

   1. shade or shadow

   2. any dark, dusky, or indefinite colour

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or stained with umber

Etymology

Origin of umber

1250–1300; Middle English umbre, umber shade, shadow < Old French umbre < Latin umbra; in sense “earth” < French terre d'ombre or Italian terra di ombra

Explanation

Umber is a dark brown or reddish-brown pigment that is found in certain minerals. Ever since humans started creating art, they've been using umber. Pigments are the shades of color that painters and other artists use, and when they occur naturally, they're called earth pigments. Umber falls into this category — its rich, deep brown shade comes directly from minerals (raw umber) or from minerals heated to a darker shade (burnt umber). Today, oil painters still use umber when they need a fast-drying brown pigment. Umber gets its name from a region in Italy where it's common, Umbria.

Example Sentences

As sure as green leaves have turned red, gold and umber, the spooky season haunts us once more.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 28, 2025

The sun was just beginning its ascent over the Mojave, bathing the sand in a smooth umber glow beneath pockets of wispy cloud.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 27, 2023

Behind her is a painting in dark umber of a viola da gamba, a stilled music that suggests or confirms the love theme of the picture.

From New York Times • May 25, 2023

The umber 13 is referenced in almost all Swift videos in some way and is her lucky number because she was born on the 13 December.

From BBC • Jan. 27, 2023

Her hair was down to her butt and burnt a warm umber from the sun.

From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline

Related Words

• beige
• brownish
• drab
• khaki