somber

[ som-ber ]
/ ˈsɒm bər /

adjective

gloomily dark; shadowy; dimly lighted: a somber passageway.
dark and dull, as color, or as things in respect to color: a somber dress.
gloomy, depressing, or dismal: a somber mood.
extremely serious; grave: a somber expression on his face.
Also especially British, som·bre.

Origin of somber

1750–60; < French sombre, Middle French, probably noun derivative of *sombrer to make shady < Vulgar Latin *subumbrāre, equivalent to Latin sub- sub- + umbrāre to cast a shadow, derivative of umbra shade

OTHER WORDS FROM somber

Example sentences from the Web for sombre

British Dictionary definitions for sombre

sombre

US somber

/ (ˈsɒmbə) /

adjective

dismal; melancholy a sombre mood
dim, gloomy, or shadowy
(of colour, clothes, etc) sober, dull, or dark

Derived forms of sombre

sombrely or US somberly, adverb sombreness or US somberness, noun sombrous (ˈsɒmbrəs), adjective

Word Origin for sombre

C18: from French, from Vulgar Latin subumbrāre (unattested) to shade, from Latin sub beneath + umbra shade