satinwood

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a smooth, hard, lustrous yellowish wood used for fine furniture, veneers, marquetry, and cabinetwork

   The cabinetmaker used pale satinwood for the delicate inlay around the drawers.

2. 2
   noun

   any of several tropical trees that yield satinwood, especially the East Indian tree Chloroxylon swietenia

   The East Indian satinwood grows in dry forests of India and Sri Lanka.

A compound of satin + wood, recorded in the late eighteenth century. The name refers to the wood's smooth texture and lustrous, satiny surface. Several unrelated tropical trees produce woods sold under the name, especially East Indian and West Indian satinwood.

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