Boneblack

/ˈboʊnblæk/ noun

Definition

A black pigment made by charring animal bones, used in paints, printing ink, and as a filtering agent.

Etymology

From 'bone' + 'black,' named directly for its composition. The substance has been used since ancient times, with Romans and Chinese craftspeople both developing bone charring techniques independently.

Kelly Says

Boneblack, also called 'animal charcoal,' was THE premium black pigment for centuries because it produced a richer, deeper black than soot—this is why old paintings are so much darker than early copies!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.