Ochre

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈəʊkə/

Definitions

1. A natural pigment ranging in color from yellow to deep orange or brown
2. a type of clay containing iron oxide which is used in art and cosmetics
3. a term describing a hue that can refer to various earthy tones often used in painting

Etymology: Ochre is one of the few English words whose roots may run back to West Africa as well as to ancient Greece. The Greek "ṓkhra" meant "pale yellow," and it passed through Latin and Old French into English. Yet the earth pigment itself was probably named by speakers of an African language, most likely Igbo, whose word "ọ́kụ̀rụ̀" may be the ultimate source, though scholars are not certain of the exact pathway. The word's shape has a distinct history. The Greek term was built on "ōkhrós," meaning "pale" or "pallid," and in Latin it became "ōchra," which Old French turned into "ocre." English borrowed that French form, so the spelling "ochre" reflects the Latin and Greek ancestry even though the sense of a reddish-yellow clay pigment came later.

Synonyms: amber, golden, yellowish-brown

Antonyms: blue, green, red