( US also somber )
■ adjective
1》 dark or dull.
2》 oppressively solemn or sober.
Derivatives
~ly adverb
~ness noun
Word History
Sombre and ~ro come from the same source: Latin umbra 'shade'. Sombre entered English in the 18th century, from French, and is based on Latin sub 'under' and umbra . Sombrero , a hat that provides shade, is a Spanish word that comes from sombra 'shade', descended from umbra . The same root is shared by the English words umbrage (originally 'shadowy outline', then 'grounds for suspicion' and then 'offence'), and umbrella (originally another name for a parasol or sunshade).