noun
or bis·tre ˈbistə(r)
( -s )
Etymology: French bistre
1.
a. : an artist's medium for use with brush or pen made with a brown extract obtained from the soot of wood after the soot has been soaked or boiled in water and ranging in color from yellowish brown to dark brown
b. : a watercolor medium having the general color characteristics of bister
2. : manganese brown
3. : soot brown