piceous

[ pis-ee-uhs, pahy-see-uhs ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling pitch.
2. inflammable; combustible.
3. Zoology. black or nearly black as pitch.

piceous

/ ˈpaɪsɪəs; ˈpɪsɪəs /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling pitch

Word History and Origins

Origin of piceous¹

1640–50; < Latin piceus made of pitch, equivalent to pice- (stem of pix ) pitch ² + -us adj. suffix; -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of piceous¹

C17: from Latin piceus, from pix pitch ²

Example Sentences

The labrum or upper-lip is fulvous; and the antenn are piceous.

From Project Gutenberg

The legs are all black, with the digits only rather piceous.

From Project Gutenberg

Abdomen: the apical margins of the segments obscurely and narrowly rufo-piceous, the apex ferruginous.

From Project Gutenberg

The tarsi obscurely rufo-piceous, the claws ferruginous; wings dark fuscous, their base hyaline.

From Project Gutenberg

Thorax: the wings hyaline and brilliantly iridescent; the legs dark rufo-piceous with a bright purple tinge.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• sunless
• unlighted
• unlit