Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Umber?

\Um"ber\, n. [F. ombre ocherous ore of iron, terre d'ombre, It. terra d'ombra, literally, earth of shadow or shade, L. umbra shadow, shade. Cf. {Umber}, 3 & 4, {Umbrage}.] 1. (Paint.) A brown or reddish pigment used in both oil and water colors, obtained from certain natural clays variously colored by the oxides of iron and manganese. It is commonly heated or burned before being used, and is then called {burnt umber}; when not heated, it is called {raw umber}. See {Burnt umber}, below. 2. An umbrere. [Obs.] 3. [F. ombre, umbre, L. umbra.] (Zo["o]l.) See {Grayling}, 1. 4. [Cf. NL. scopus umbretta, F. ombrette; probably fr. L. umbra shade, in allusion to its dark brown color. See {Umber} a pigment.] (Zo["o]l.) An African wading bird ({Scopus umbretta}) allied to the storks and herons. It is dull dusky brown, and has a large occipital crest. Called also {umbrette}, {umbre}, and {umber bird}. {Burnt umber} (Paint.), a pigment made by burning raw umber, which is changed by this process from an olive brown to a bright reddish brown. {Cologne}, or {German}, {umber}, a brown pigment obtained from lignite. See {Cologne earth}.
\Um"ber\, a. Of or pertaining to umber; resembling umber; olive-brown; dark brown; dark; dusky. Their harps are of the umber shade That hides the blush of waking day. --J. R. Drake.
\Um"ber\, v. t. To color with umber; to shade or darken; as, to umber over one's face. --B. Jonson.