\Um"ber\, n. [F. ombre ocherous ore of iron, terre
d'ombre, It. terra d'ombra, literally, earth of shadow or
shade, L. umbra shadow, shade. Cf. {Umber}, 3 & 4,
{Umbrage}.]
1. (Paint.) A brown or reddish pigment used in both oil and
   water colors, obtained from certain natural clays
   variously colored by the oxides of iron and manganese. It
   is commonly heated or burned before being used, and is
   then called {burnt umber}; when not heated, it is called
   {raw umber}. See {Burnt umber}, below.
2. An umbrere. [Obs.]
3. [F. ombre, umbre, L. umbra.] (Zo["o]l.) See {Grayling}, 1.
4. [Cf. NL. scopus umbretta, F. ombrette; probably fr. L.
   umbra shade, in allusion to its dark brown color. See
   {Umber} a pigment.] (Zo["o]l.) An African wading bird
   ({Scopus umbretta}) allied to the storks and herons. It is
   dull dusky brown, and has a large occipital crest. Called
   also {umbrette}, {umbre}, and {umber bird}.
{Burnt umber} (Paint.), a pigment made by burning raw umber,
   which is changed by this process from an olive brown to a
   bright reddish brown.
{Cologne}, or {German}, {umber}, a brown pigment obtained
   from lignite. See {Cologne earth}.

\Um"ber\, a.
Of or pertaining to umber; resembling umber; olive-brown;
dark brown; dark; dusky.
      Their harps are of the umber shade That hides the blush
      of waking day.                           --J. R. Drake.

\Um"ber\, v. t.
To color with umber; to shade or darken; as, to umber over
one's face. --B. Jonson.