sinopia

noun

si·​no·​pia sə-ˈnō-pē-ə 

plural sinopias or sinopie sə-ˈnō-pē-ˌā 

1

: a red to reddish-brown earth pigment used by the ancients that depends for its color on its content of red ferric oxide

2

: a preliminary drawing for a fresco done in sinopia

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from Latin sinopis, from Greek sinōpis, from Sinōpē Sinop, ancient seaport in Asia Minor

First Known Use

1844, in the meaning defined at sense 1