somber

English

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈsɑmbɚ/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsɒmbə/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adjective

somber (comparative somberer, superlative somberest)

1. (American spelling) Alternative form of sombre
   • 2002, Dirk Wittenborn, Fierce People:

     My mother prepared herself for the evening with the same somber deliberateness of the gladiators in Spartacus.

Verb

somber (third-person singular simple present sombers, present participle sombering, simple past and past participle sombered)

1. (American spelling) Alternative form of sombre

References

• “somber”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “somber”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• Bomers, bromes, ombres, sombre

Dutch

Etymology

16th century. From Middle French sombre.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

somber (comparative somberder, superlative somberst)

1. somber (US), sombre (Commonwealth)

Declension

Declension of somber
uninflected	somber
inflected	sombere
comparative	somberder
		positive	comparative	superlative
predicative/adverbial		somber	somberder	het somberst het somberste
indefinite	m./f. sing.	sombere	somberdere	somberste
	n. sing.	somber	somberder	somberste
	plural	sombere	somberdere	somberste
definite		sombere	somberdere	somberste
partitive		sombers	somberders	—

Derived terms

• somberaar
• somberen
• somberheid
• sombermans

 

References

• van der Sijs, Nicoline, editor (2010), “somber”, in Etymologiebank, Meertens Institute