somber
Use Somber in a sentence
bər adjective
1.
gloomily dark; shadowy; dimly lighted: a somber passageway.
2.
dark and dull, as color, or as things in respect to color: a somber dress.
3.
gloomy, depressing, or dismal: a somber mood.
4.
extremely serious; grave: a somber expression on his face.
Also, especially British, som·bre.
Origin:
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
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
Related forms
som·ber·ly, adverb
som·ber·ness, noun
un·som·ber, adjective
un·som·ber·ly, adverb
un·som·ber·ness, noun
Synonyms
1. dusky, murky, sunless. 3. lugubrious, mournful, doleful, melancholy.
1. dusky, murky, sunless. 3. lugubrious, mournful, doleful, melancholy.
Antonyms
1. bright. 3. cheerful.
1. bright. 3. cheerful.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To somber
00:10
Somber
is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
sombre or somber (ˈsɒmbə) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | dismal; melancholy: a sombre mood |
| 2. | dim, gloomy, or shadowy |
| 3. | (of colour, clothes, etc) sober, dull, or dark |
| [C18: from French, from Vulgar Latin subumbrāre (unattested) to shade, from Latin sub beneath + umbra shade] | |
| somber or somber | |
| —adj | |
| [C18: from French, from Vulgar Latin subumbrāre (unattested) to shade, from Latin sub beneath + umbra shade] | |
| 'sombrely or somber | |
| —adv | |
| 'somberly or somber | |
| —adv | |
| 'sombreness or somber | |
| —n | |
| 'somberness or somber | |
| —n | |
| sombrous or somber | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
somber
1760 (earlier sombrous, c.1730), from Fr. sombre "dark, gloomy," from O.Fr. sombre, from L.L. subumbrare "to shadow," from sub "under" + umbra "shade, shadow," from PIE *andho- "blind, dark" (see umbrage).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Cite This Source
Example sentences
It's a somber picture of national security, and it won't appeal to everyone.
The somber crowd then moves on to several other stations to complete additional sets of prayers.
Sometimes it's frantic and up-tempo and other times it's jumpy and swinging and other times it's slow and somber.
And the depressed to read the somber headlines and latest violence half a world away.
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