umbrage Definition um·brage[ úmbrij ] NOUN 1. offense: resentment or annoyance arising from some offense "took umbrage" 2. giver of shade: something that gives shade, e.g. a tree ( literary ) [ 15th century. < Old French < Latin umbra "shadow" ] Word History The Latin word umbra "shadow," from which umbrage is derived, is also the source of English adumbrate, penumbra, somber, sombrero, and umbrella.