bice adjective & noun. [bʌɪs] ME.
[Old & mod. French bis dark grey = Provençal bis, Italian bigio, of unkn. origin.]
A. adjective. Brownish grey, dark grey. Only in ME.
b. noun.
1. More fully blue bice. A shade of blue duller than ultramarine or azure. LME.

2. A pigment of this colour made from basic copper carbonate or smalt; (more fully green bice) a green pigment similarly made. M16.

► From the French azur bis 'dark blue' and vert bis 'dark green' the sense of bice was transferred in English to the pigments and colours they represented.

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲