sepia

[ see-pee-uh ]

noun

1. a brown pigment obtained from the inklike secretion of various cuttlefish and used with brush or pen in drawing.
2. a drawing made with this pigment.
3. a dark brown.
4. Photography. a print or photograph made in this color.
5. any of several cuttlefish of the genus Sepia, producing a dark fluid used naturally for defense and, by humans, in ink.

adjective

1. of a brown, grayish brown, or olive brown similar to that of sepia ink.

sepia

/ ˈsiːpɪə /

noun

1. a dark reddish-brown pigment obtained from the inky secretion of the cuttlefish
2. any cuttlefish of the genus Sepia
3. a brownish tone imparted to a photograph, esp an early one such as a calotype. It can be produced by first bleaching a print (after fixing) and then immersing it for a short time in a solution of sodium sulphide or of alkaline thiourea
4. a brownish-grey to dark yellowish-brown colour
5. a drawing or photograph in sepia

adjective

1. of the colour sepia or done in sepia

   a sepia print

Other Words From

• sepi·a·like adjective
• se·pic [see, -pik, sep, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sepia¹

1560–70; < Latin sēpia cuttlefish, its secretion < Greek sēpía; akin to sêpsis sepsis

Word History and Origins

Origin of sepia¹

C16: from Latin: a cuttlefish, from Greek; related to Greek sēpein to make rotten

Example Sentences

There is a sepia effect from the red, brown and orange hues which can make for more dramatic views.

From BBC

There's a "sepia effect", Mr Burleigh-Harvey says, referring to red, brown and orange hues which can make for more dramatic views.

From BBC

The stage frames a sepia portrait of forgotten lives captured at a point before everything is altered for good.

From Los Angeles Times

Depictions of roses, a skull, a goat and a Santería evil eye dance around them, illuminated in sepia spotlights and looking like they could have come straight from a deck of tarot cards.

From Washington Times

Mostly, Hynes called him O’Casey, but a few times she called him Sean, and the warmth of that familiarity melted away any sepia encrustation that has accumulated around his name.

From New York Times