die Sepia
sepia
A dark brown, slightly reddish color, especially used in old photographs and drawings.
EXAMPLE
Das alte Foto ist in Sepia gehalten.
The old photo is in sepia.
die Sepia
sepia
die Sepia, die Sepien
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Meanings
die Sepia
sepia
A brown pigment originally obtained from the ink of cuttlefish.
EXAMPLE
Früher verwendeten Künstler Sepia für braune Zeichnungen.
Artists used to use sepia for brown drawings.
die Sepia
cuttlefish
A cephalopod that lives in the sea, with an oval body and an internal cuttlebone; it is one of the animals known in German as Tintenfische.
EXAMPLE
Die Sepia versteckte sich im Sand des Meeresbodens.
The cuttlefish hid in the sand on the seabed.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Sepia, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | feminine die |
|---|---|
| plural | die Sepien |
| genitive | der Sepia |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | die Sepia | die Sepien |
| accusative | die Sepia | die Sepien |
| dative | der Sepia | den Sepien |
| genitive | der Sepia | der Sepien |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Context clue
The meaning of “Sepia” is usually clear from the surrounding words: in the context of photos and pictures, it refers to the color; with art materials, it refers to the pigment; and in the context of marine animals, it refers to a living creature.
EXAMPLE
Das Foto wurde in Sepia bearbeitet.
The photo was edited in sepia.
Die Künstlerin malte mit Sepia auf Papier.
The artist painted on paper with sepia.
Eine Sepia bewegte sich über den Meeresboden.
A cuttlefish moved across the seabed.
Typical collocations
Common expressions for the color are “in Sepia” (in sepia), “Sepiaton” (sepia tone), and “Sepia-Aufnahme” (sepia photograph). “Sepia” most often describes photos, drawings, or their visual style.
EXAMPLE
Der Film beginnt mit einer ruhigen Sepia-Aufnahme.
The film begins with a calm sepia photograph.
Das Familienporträt erscheint in warmem Sepia.
The family portrait appears in warm sepia.
Artistic use
As a pigment, “Sepia” is often used with verbs from the artistic field, for example “mit Sepia zeichnen” (to draw with sepia), “Sepia verwenden” (to use sepia), or “mit Sepia malen” (to paint with sepia).
EXAMPLE
Der Illustrator zeichnete die Landschaft mit Sepia.
The illustrator drew the landscape with sepia.
Marine biology
In its zoological meaning, “Sepia” is often used in connection with its habitat and body structure, for example the seabed, the “Schulp” (cuttlebone), or camouflage.
EXAMPLE
Die Sepia lag gut getarnt auf dem sandigen Meeresboden.
The cuttlefish lay well camouflaged on the sandy seabed.
In real life
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