bistre

UK: /ˈbɪstə/ US: (bis′tər)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

bis•tre  (bis′tər), n. 

1. a brown pigment extracted from the soot of wood, often used in pen and wash drawings.
2. a yellowish to dark-brown color.

Also, bister. 

• French, Middle French, of obscure origin, originally
• 1720–30

bis′tred, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

bistre, bister / ˈbɪstə/ noun

1. a transparent water-soluble brownish-yellow pigment made by boiling the soot of wood, used for pen and wash drawings
2. a yellowish-brown to dark brown colour
3. (as modifier): bistre paint

Etymology: 18th Century: from French, of unknown origin