What does sepia mean?
Sepia is a warm, reddish-brown color and the pigment traditionally used to produce it. The pigment was made from the dark ink of cuttlefish and squid and was valuable for writing, drawing, and coloring because it was durable and rich in tone. In modern usage, “sepia” most often describes photographs, prints, or other images rendered in brownish shades, often suggesting age, history, or nostalgia. As an adjective, it can also refer to an image that has been treated to resemble an old photograph. The name comes from the ancient Greek word for cuttlefish, the source of the original pigment. Although digital photography has reduced the need for actual sepia ink, the word remains common in art, photography, printing, and descriptions of visual style.
A reddish-brown pigment traditionally made from the ink of cuttlefish and squid; also the warm brown color associated with that pigment.
"She drew the mountain in sepia and charcoal."
When referring to an image or tone, “sepia” is usually a mass noun: “in sepia,” “a sepia photograph.”
Denoting a warm reddish-brown color or an image rendered in such tones, often with an antique or nostalgic appearance.
"The museum displayed a collection of sepia photographs."
The adjective is especially common in photography and image processing.
Usually used for individual sepia photographs or images; the pigment and color are normally treated as mass nouns.
"The archive contains several sepias from the early twentieth century."
The word sepia comes from the Greek name for the cuttlefish, so the color is literally made from the animal behind its name.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sepia come from?
The English word comes from Latin sepia, a borrowing of Greek sēpia, meaning “cuttlefish.” The ancient Greek word referred to the cuttlefish and, by extension, to the dark ink it produced. English adopted the term for the pigment during the period when such animal inks were widely used in drawing and writing, and later the name came to denote the characteristic brown color.
How sepia is actually used
The noun is commonly used for the pigment or color, while the adjective usually describes an image, photograph, print, or tone. The word can carry a nostalgic or historical association because sepia-toned images resemble older photographic processes.
Easily confused with sepia
Sepia is also the common name for the cuttlefish whose ink is used to make the brown pigment of the same name.