ebony

Noun

1. (uncountable, usually) A hard, dense, deep black wood from various subtropical and tropical trees, especially of the genus Diospyros.
2. (countable, usually) A tree that yields such wood.
3. (countable, uncountable, usually) A deep, dark black colour.
4. (uncountable, usually) Dark skin colour.
5. (countable, usually) A black key on a piano or other keyboard instrument (as opposed to ivory).

Adj

1. Made of ebony wood.
2. A deep, dark black colour.
3. Dark-skinned; black; especially in reference to African-Americans.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɛb.ən.i/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: ebenif

In summary

From earlier heben, hebeny, from Middle English ebenif, hebenyf (influenced by Late Latin hebeninus), from Ecclesiastical Latin ebenius (“of ebony”), from Latin hebenus (“ebon tree”), from Ancient Greek ἔβενος (ébenos), from Egyptian hbnj, U13:n-Z4:M3

Synonyms

ebon

ebony tree

jet-black

pitch black

soot black

coal black

Diospyros ebenum

sable

jet black

Ebenaceae

common persimmon

American persimmon

possum tree

black

possum-wood

blackness

blackwood

coal-black

jet

pitch-black

raven

become black

Negro

Translations

ébène

ebano

Ebenholz

ébano

heban

ébano

έβενος

eben

abanoz

banús

ebbenhout

ébénier

ebben

ebbehout

αμπανός

Sentences

The organ of this cathedral is made of ebony , except the pipes of course .