sombre [M18th] If you are in a sombre mood you can be thought of as being under a shadow. The word came into English from French in the middle of the 18th century but was based on Latin sub ‘under’ and umbra ‘shade or shadow’. Sombrero [L18th], the broad-brimmed hat, is a Spanish word with a similar origin. It is found from the late 16th century in the sense umbrella.