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
SYNONYMS FOR somber
OTHER WORDS FROM somber
Words nearby 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), adjectiveWord Origin for sombre
C18: from French, from Vulgar Latin
subumbrāre (unattested) to shade, from Latin
sub beneath +
umbra shade