Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches
Synonyms
Nearby Words

somber

 - 3 dictionary results

som⋅ber

  [som-ber]
Use somber in a Sentence
–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, sombre.

Origin:
1750–60; < F sombre, MF, prob. n. deriv. of *sombrer to make shady < VL *subumbrāre, equiv. to L sub- sub- + umbrāre to cast a shadow, deriv. of umbra shade

Related forms:
som⋅ber⋅ly, adverb
som⋅ber⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. dusky, murky, sunless. 3. lugubrious, mournful, doleful, melancholy.

Antonyms:
1. bright. 3. cheerful.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To somber
som·ber   (sŏm'bər)   
adj.  

    1. Dark; gloomy.

    2. Dull or dark in color.

    3. Melancholy; dismal: a somber mood.

    4. Serious; grave.

    1. Melancholy; dismal: a somber mood.

    2. Serious; grave.


[French sombre, from Old French, from *sombrer, to cast a shadow, from Late Latin subumbrāre, from Latin sub umbrā, in shadow : sub, under; see sub- + umbrā, ablative of umbra, shadow.]
som'ber·ly adv., som'ber·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
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."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Search another word or see somber on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way