rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryumberDark yellowish brown
noun / adjective

umber

UM-ber/ˈʌmbər/

A dark yellowish-brown pigment or its color.

The painted swatch shows the pigment’s umber color.

A shallow dish of earthy dark-brown pigment beside a broad painted swatch of the same umber color, with a pigment-stained artist’s brush connecting material and color.
Etymology
umberItalianbrown earth pigment

Italian ombra (or French ombre) is the pigment name behind umber. It may be linked to 'shadow,' or instead to Umbria, the region from which the coloring earth probably first came.

In context

Mad Man Restorations5:27
And raw umber has a very dark brown almost black tint color to it.
Amazing RESTORATION of a RARE Vintage DANISH Dresser | RELAXING Furniture Restoration Video

More examples

  • An umber stain darkened the wood.
  • She chose a warm umber for the background.
  • The palette held both raw and burnt umber.

Forms

umber

Similar words

sienna
Sienna is another earth pigment, generally warmer and more orange than umber.
brown
Brown is the broad color category; umber is a particular earth pigment and its shade.