ocher

American  

[oh-ker] / ˈoʊ kər /

Or ochre

noun

1. any of a class of natural earths, mixtures of hydrated oxide of iron with various earthy materials, ranging in color from pale yellow to orange and red, and used as pigments.

2. the color of this, ranging from pale yellow to an orangish or reddish yellow.

3. Obsolete. money, especially gold coin.

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adjective

1. of the color of ocher.

verb (used with object)

ochered, ochering

1. to color or mark with ocher.

ocher British  

/ ˈəʊkə, ˈəʊkrɔɪd /

noun

1. the US spelling of ochre

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Other Word Forms

• ocherous adjective
• ochery adjective
• ochroid adjective

Etymology

Origin of ocher

1350–1400; Middle English oker < Old French ocre < Latin ōchrā < Greek ṓchrā yellow ocher

Example Sentences

Irregular, varied layers of colored dots frame an immense, crusty center expanse with a flourish of widely spaced dots against ocher.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

Towering at 300 feet tall, the crumbly ocher cliffs of Palos Verdes Estates boast breathtaking views of Los Angeles’ coastline.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 31, 2025

Archaeologists have even discovered burial sites that appear to have been carefully designed and decorated with red ocher, a native earth containing iron oxide, suggesting a spiritual belief that required occasional ritual burial.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

Bettiol will wear the tour leader’s ocher jersey in the first road stage on Wednesday.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 17, 2023

When they finally arrived at Abba, it was dusk, the windshield was coated in ocher dust, and Baby was asleep.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie