ocher

noun

ˈō-kər 

variants or ochre

1

: an earthy usually red or yellow and often impure iron ore used as a pigment

2

: the color of ocher

especially : the color of yellow ocher

ocherous

ˈō-k(ə-)rəs 

adjective

or ochreous

ˈō-k(ə-)rəs 

-krē-əs

Examples of ocher in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Surrounded and protected by the lagoon that separates Argentario from the mainland, this amiable town feels like Madrid’s little Tuscan twin, with its sunny disposition, well developed café culture, and houses in every shade of ocher. —Lee Marshall, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2025

Roche used a palette of ochers, earthy browns, herbal greens, and warm yellows across every room in her house. —Amy Panos, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Mar. 2025

Similar to the Colorado river in northern Arizona, the Charyn River and its tributaries spent millions of years eroding the arid landscape into crazy shapes and a palette of rocky reds, oranges, ochers, yellows, and whites. —Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025

Scientists already knew that Neanderthals made adhesives using other materials like ocher and naturally sticky substances to haft stone tips onto wooden shafts to create weapons. —Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English oker, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French ocre, from Latin ochra, from Greek ōchra, from feminine of ōchros yellow

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ocher

• red ocher
• yellow ocher

Rhymes for ocher

• blocker
• chalker
• cocker
• docker
• hawker
• hocker
• knocker
• locker
• mocker
• rocker
• shocker
• soccer

Kids Definition

ocher

noun

variants or ochre

ˈō-kər 

1

: an earthy usually red or yellow and often impure iron ore used as coloring matter

2

: the color of yellow ocher