Definition

Noun: 1. A dark reddish-brown color: A rich, warm brown color with reddish or orange undertones, resembling the pigment of the same name. 2. A dark brown pigment: A pigment originally made by heating raw umber (a natural earth pigment), resulting in a darker, richer color.

Usage Examples

• As a color:
  • The artist mixed burnt umber with yellow ochre to create the perfect shade for the autumn leaves.
  • The walls of the library were painted a deep, comforting burnt umber.
• As a pigment:
  • She reached for the tube of burnt umber to add shadows to the portrait.
  • This pigment chart shows the difference between raw umber and burnt umber.

Advanced Usage

• Descriptive Use: The term is often used descriptively beyond art to evoke a specific, earthy tone.
  • The forest floor was a carpet of burnt umber after the first frost.

Variants and Related Words

• Raw umber (noun): The natural, cooler, greenish-brown earth pigment before it is heated to become burnt umber.
• Burnt sienna (noun): A similar reddish-brown pigment made by heating raw sienna, but typically brighter and more orange than burnt umber.

Synonyms

• Chocolate brown
• Russet
• Sepia (when referring to a dark brown tone)
• Coffee

Antonyms

• Ivory
• Alabaster
• Snow white

Noun

1. a medium brown to dark-brown color
2. dark brown pigment obtained by heating umber