ebony

American  

[eb-uh-nee] / ˈɛb ə ni /

noun

• ebonies
  plural

1. a hard, heavy, durable wood, most highly prized when black, from various tropical trees of the genus Diospyros, as D. ebenum of southern India and Sri Lanka, used for cabinetwork, ornamental objects, etc.

2. any tree yielding such wood.

3. any of various similar woods or trees.

4. a deep, lustrous black.

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adjective

1. Also made of ebony.

2. of a deep, lustrous black.

ebony British  

/ ˈɛbənɪ /

noun

1. any of various tropical and subtropical trees of the genus Diospyros, esp D. ebenum of S India, that have hard dark wood: family Ebenaceae See also persimmon

2. the wood of such a tree, much used for cabinetwork

3. 1. a black colour, sometimes with a dark olive tinge

   2. ( as adjective )

      an ebony skin

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• ebonies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of ebony

First recorded in 1590–1600; earlier hebeny; see ebon; -y perhaps after ivory

Explanation

Ebony is a very dark black color, or a south Asian tropical tree with hard, dark-colored heartwood. Black piano keys and black chess pieces are often made with ebony. Used as a noun or adjective, ebony derives from Greek word ebenos, meaning "ebony" and was first used in the 17th century to describe a very dark black color. Cabinetry made out of ebony was very fashionable during the Victorian era because it was imported and considered exotic, but today, because it is considered a threatened species, its uses are limited to small objects, such as animal carvings or parts of musical instruments.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ebony ebonies

The exhibition also spotlighted India's diverse range of high-quality hardwoods such as teak, rosewood and ebony, and the country's deeply-rooted traditions of intricate handcrafting by local artisans.

From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2026

Christie's had dubbed the box, decorated with ebony, as "the most important scientific instrument ever offered at auction" and it had been expected to fetch 2-3 million euros.

From Barron's ● Nov. 19, 2025

The county’s most common variety is the California ebony tarantula, or Aphonopelma eutylenum, which can range from light beige to their namesake color.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 25, 2025

Far, far away in the vastness of deep space, an ebony spaceship awaits.

From New York Times ● Feb. 21, 2024

“No, no — here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out.”

From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling

Well-known trees such as magnolias are among the most threatened, with oaks, maple and ebonies also at risk.

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2024

Oak trees, maple trees and ebonies also face threats, the report said.

From Reuters ● Sep. 1, 2021

The final space features seven sculptures, carved from Texan and Gabon ebonies.

From New York Times ● Jul. 29, 2021

Instead of the laurel-leaved trees of various kinds, we have African ebonies, acacias, and mimosae: the grass is shorter and more sparse, and we can move along without wood-cutting.

From The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death, Volume I (of 2), 1866-1868 by Horace Waller

Soon the husband returned with the little girl and boy, and four young ebonies, all bare-headed, and dressed alike, in thick trousers, and a loose linsey shirt.

From Among the Pines or, South in Secession Time by James R. Gilmore