sepia

1 of 2

noun

se·​pia ˈsē-pē-ə How to pronounce sepia (audio)
1
a
: a brown melanin-containing pigment from the ink of cuttlefishes
b
: the inky secretion of a cuttlefish
2
: a print or photograph of a brown color resembling sepia
3
: a brownish-gray to dark olive-brown color

sepia

2 of 2

adjective

1
: made of or done in sepia
2
: of the color sepia

Examples of sepia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Mixed in with the sepia tones are two more-recent pictures that both capture four generations of the McNeills. Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2024 Three shades — beige pumice, green lichen, and pink sepia — are currently on sale for an impressive 40 percent off. Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 11 Sep. 2024
Adjective
Polley and cinematographer Luc Montpellier shoot the story in a muted palette, not quite sepia but not quite color either, reflecting the limited world of its characters. Lindsey Bahr, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2023 The harsh, desaturated look of Luc Montpellier’s cinematography — not quite black-and-white, not quite sepia — establishes an ambiance of persistent, disorienting unreality. Justin Changfilm Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2022 See all Example Sentences for sepia 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sepia.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin, cuttlefish, ink, from Greek sēpia

First Known Use

Noun

1821, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1827, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sepia was in 1821

Dictionary Entries Near sepia

Cite this Entry

“Sepia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sepia. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

sepia

1 of 2 noun
se·​pia ˈsē-pē-ə How to pronounce sepia (audio)
1
: a brown pigment made from the ink of cuttlefishes
2
: a brownish gray

sepia

2 of 2 adjective
: of the color sepia

Medical Definition

sepia

noun
se·​pia ˈsē-pē-ə How to pronounce sepia (audio)
1
capitalized : a genus (the type of the family Sepiidae) of oval-bodied cephalopods that comprise the cuttlefishes and have a saclike organ containing a dark fluid and an internal shell mostly of calcium carbonate which has been used as an antacid and in tooth and polishing powders
2
: the inky secretion of a cuttlefish or a brown pigment from it

More from Merriam-Webster on sepia

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!