amber

¹

[am-ber]

noun

1. a pale yellow, sometimes reddish or brownish, fossil resin of vegetable origin, translucent, brittle, and capable of gaining a negative electrical charge by friction and of being an excellent insulator: used for making jewelry and other ornamental articles.

2. the yellowish-brown color of resin.

adjective

1. of the color of amber; yellowish-brown.

   amber fields of grain.

2. made of amber.

   amber earrings.

Amber

²

[am-ber]

noun

1. a first name.

amber

/ ˈæmbə /

noun

1. 1. a yellow or yellowish-brown hard translucent fossil resin derived from extinct coniferous trees that occurs in Tertiary deposits and often contains trapped insects. It is used for jewellery, ornaments, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      an amber necklace

2. a strange relic or reminder of the past

3. 1. a medium to dark brownish-yellow colour, often somewhat orange, similar to that of the resin

   2. ( as adjective )

      an amber dress

4. an amber traffic light used as a warning between red and green

amber

1. A hard, translucent, brownish-yellow substance that is the fossilized resin of ancient trees. It often contains fossil insects.

Other Word Forms

• amberlike adjective
• ambery adjective
• amberous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of amber¹

1350–1400; Middle English ambre < Old French < Medieval Latin ambra < Arabic ʿanbar ambergris; confusion of the dissimilar substances perhaps because both were rare, valuable, and found on seacoasts

Word History and Origins

Origin of amber¹

C14: from Medieval Latin ambar, from Arabic `anbar ambergris

A Closer Look

Certain trees, especially conifers, produce a sticky substance called resin to protect themselves against insects. Normally, it decays in oxygen through the action of bacteria. However, if the resin happens to fall into wet mud or sand containing little oxygen, it can harden and eventually fossilize, becoming the yellowish, translucent substance known as amber. If any insects or other organisms are trapped in the resin before it hardens, they can be preserved, often in exquisite detail. By studying these preserved organisms, scientists are able learn key facts about life on Earth millions of years ago.

Example Sentences

Heavy rain could cause "disruption and probable flooding" on Monday with an amber weather warning in place for south Wales.

Read more on BBC

An amber Met Office severe weather warning for rain is in force across south Wales, while multiple yellow warnings are in force for many western areas of the UK.

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Antitrust should preserve space for change, not freeze the marketplace in amber.

Read more on Barron's

If your people are beer people, think versatile: an amber ale or clean lager, plus a solid N/A counterpart.Athletic makes good ones, though many skew hoppy, so keep your audience in mind.

Read more on Salon

In the North York Moors and parts of the Yorkshire Wolds, where the more severe amber warning is in place until 21:00 on Thursday, significant disruption is expected, the Met Office said.

Read more on BBC