As a noun, umber is a natural brown earth pigment used in paints. As an adjective, it describes a dark brown color with a hint of green or yellow.
From Old French "ombre" or "umber" and Italian "ombra" meaning shade or shadow, possibly linked to the region of Umbria in Italy where the pigment was found. The word originally suggested earth from a particular place.
Artists’ color names like "raw umber" and "burnt umber" come from literally cooking dirt to change its color. The word is a reminder that before synthetic dyes, painters got their browns straight from the ground.
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