ebony

C1 Topic:Word Formation & Derivatives

US /ˈɛbəni/ UK /ˈebəni/ See IPA manual

Freq #22601

Meanings

1

noun
a dense, hard, usually very dark wood obtained from several tropical trees

The cabinetmaker fitted the box with an ebony handle.
2

noun
a tropical tree of the genus Diospyros that yields ebony wood

The slow-growing ebony was protected from illegal logging.
3

noun
a deep, glossy black color

The piano keys shone in polished ebony and ivory.
4

adj
deep black in color

She wore an ebony bracelet against the white sleeve.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a dense, hard, usually very... ebony wood

2 noun · a tropical tree of the... ebony tree

3 noun · a deep, glossy black color jet blackebon

4 adj · deep black in color jet-blackebon

Opposites

ivory white

Word family

Derived forms ebonizeebonizedebonist

Related forms ebonDiospyroshardwood

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

ebony tree
a tropical tree valued for its hard, dark heartwood

Noun + noun

Etymology

From Middle English forms such as ebeny, through Latin hebenus and Greek ebenos, probably ultimately from ancient Egyptian hbnj, the name of ebony wood. The color adjective and noun developed from the wood's characteristically deep black heartwood.

Topics

Word Formation & Derivatives General Vocabulary

External links

# ebony

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun, adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈɛbəni/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈebəni/
**Frequency rank:** 22601

## Meanings
1. a dense, hard, usually very dark wood obtained from several tropical trees
2. a tropical tree of the genus Diospyros that yields ebony wood
3. a deep, glossy black color
4. deep black in color

## Examples
- The cabinetmaker fitted the box with an ebony handle.
- The slow-growing ebony was protected from illegal logging.
- The piano keys shone in polished ebony and ivory.
- She wore an ebony bracelet against the white sleeve.

## Synonyms
- ebony wood
- jet black
- ebon

## Antonyms
- ivory
- white

## Derived Forms
- ebonize
- ebonized
- ebonist

## Related Forms
- ebon
- Diospyros
- hardwood

## Etymology
From Middle English forms such as ebeny, through Latin hebenus and Greek ebenos, probably ultimately from ancient Egyptian hbnj, the name of ebony wood. The color adjective and noun developed from the wood's characteristically deep black heartwood.

## Topics
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- General Vocabulary

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