ombre

American  

[om-brey] / ˈɒm breɪ /

Or ombré

adjective

1. having a pattern in which colors or tones fade into one another: The dress has an ombre effect with various intensities of purple fading to white.

   Her ombre hair goes from brown at the top to bleached blond at the bottom.

   The dress has an ombre effect with various intensities of purple fading to white.

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ombre British  

/ ˈɒmbə /

noun

1. an 18th-century card game

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Etymology

Origin of ombre

First recorded in 1840–45; from French ombré “shadowed, shaded,” past participle of ombrer, from Italian ombrare “to cover in shadow” (in painting); see origin at umber, umbra ( def. )

Example Sentences

Young poet Gurpreet Saini, who performs at cultural festivals across India, says he sources his shawls - printed with ombre Gurmukhi letters - from Hariana, his hometown in Punjab, for a distinctive look.

From BBC • May 31, 2025

I did an ombre effect with the braids, from brown to gold, to try to pull in the colors of the river, the water, that honey amber, softness.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 14, 2024

It has its knitters and crocheters, ombre hairdos, makeup enthusiasts and nail designs.

From Washington Times • Oct. 24, 2023

Giorgetti’s own iPhone vacation images became prints and motifs: sunset ombre on T-shirts and knitwear, frayed cotton recalling zebra prints but in monochrome tops or suits, striated eco-leathers imitating the geological formations on overcoats.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 17, 2023

She looked gorgeous, with this ombre lip gloss and a deep burgundy strapless dress that set off her blond hair.

From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon