Sepia is an English word of Latin origin, deriving from the Greek σηπία (sepia) for cuttlefish, a marine creature. In linguistics and morphology, the term has been associated with the color sepia and its usage began at least by the 13th century. Since then, the etymological evolution of the word has notably changed as its meanings came to denote a warm grey or brown color generally associated with the tinting of photographs as well as a pungent brown sauce derived from cuttlefish. Despite the contrasting meanings, all of the definitions of sepia share the same root etymological origin. From a pragmatic perspective, the term is used in the fields of art and photography, and more recently, in technology and computer graphics.
Etymology, Morphology, Sepia, Latinate, Greek, Pragmatics, Technology
Sepia is an uncountable noun that has been derived from the Greek word ‘sepia’ meaning cuttlefish. It can be defined as a brownish-gray color, or the brownish ink produced by the cuttlefish. Synonyms of 'Sepia' include ochre, umber, taupe, mahogany, and rust. Antonyms of the word include white, and cyan. Cognates of 'Sepia' include sepia (Italian and Spanish), sepia (Portuguese), sèpia (Catalan), sepiyya (Hebrew), and sépia (French). Variants of the word 'sepia' include sepi(a) (Italian), sep(i)a (Spanish), sepia (Portuguese), sepiem (Romanian), and sepiyë (Albanian).
Morphology, Etymology, Lexicography, Linguistics, Lexeme
Sepia is a reddish-brown color often used in art, design and printing. It is typically described as a dark brown or black color with a slight tinge of red. Synonyms of the word “Sepia” in other languages include: Sepia in Spanish, Sépia in Portuguese, Sepy in French, Sepi in German, Sepia in Italian, Szepia in Hungarian, Sepiya in Turkish, Sepia in Russian, Sepia in Polish, Sepia in Dutch, Sepia in Danish, Sepia in Swedish, Sepia in Norwegian, Sepia in Finnish, صفية (ṣafiyyah) in Arabic, सेपिया (sepiya) in Hindi, ゾープィア (sōpia) in Japanese, Sepiya (세피아) in Korean, and 焦褐 (jiāohè) in Chinese.
Sepia brown, sepia color, sepia shade, sepia hue, sepia tone, sepia tint, reddish-brown, dark brown, blackish-brown, warm brown, brownish-red, reddish black, brownish black, reddish-gray, brownish-gray, black with red tinge, sepia ink
Sepia is a brownish-gray shade that has become a popular color palette in anime, comics and manga design. It is used to create a nostalgic and time-worn feel, with its muted tones. Sepia is often used as a saturation layer over another color, to create a more vintage or antique feel. It is also sometimes used to create depth and contrast without overpowering the image. Sepia is used to contrast with brighter colors, and is often seen in artwork depicting characters from the past or from a long-ago era.
Sepia, anime color palette, comics design, manga design, antique feel, vintage feel.
CITATION : "Taro Yamada. 'Sepia.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=177210 (Accessed on July 16, 2025)"
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