ambergris

[ am-ber-grees, -gris ]

/ ˈæm bərˌgris, -grɪs /

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noun

an opaque, ash-colored secretion of the sperm whale intestine, usually found floating on the ocean or cast ashore: used in perfumery.

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Origin of ambergris

1375–1425; <Middle French ambre gris gray amber (see amber); replacing late Middle English imbergres

Words nearby ambergris

amber, Amber Alert, amberfish, amber fluid, amber gambler, ambergris, amberina, Amber Islands, amberjack, amberoid, ambi-

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use ambergris in a sentence

Oriental ambergris to put in the kings food and in his claret was another expensive item.
Medival Byways|Louis F. Salzmann
It may be noted that both the Malays and the Chinese attribute the origin of ambergris to either a sea-dragon or a sea-serpent.
Mythical Monsters|Charles Gould
Bring wine and essences, electuaries and ambergris, if the refectioner have any with him.
Wager of Battle|Henry William Herbert
Turn a pint of alcohol slowly on to an ounce and a half of the oil of lavender, two drachms of ambergris.
The American Housewife|Anonymous

Swimming out in the salt water, the mermaids would go in quest of pearls, coral, ambergris and other pretty things.
Dutch Fairy Tales for Young Folks|William Elliot Griffis

British Dictionary definitions for ambergris

ambergris

/ (ˈæmbəˌɡriːs, -ˌɡrɪs) /

noun

a waxy substance consisting mainly of cholesterol secreted by the intestinal tract of the sperm whale and often found floating in the sea: used in the manufacture of perfumes

Word Origin for ambergris

C15: from Old French ambre gris grey amber

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for ambergris

ambergris

[ ăm′bər-grĭs′, -grēs′ ]

A yellow, gray, or black waxy material formed in the intestines of sperm whales that consists of a mixture of steroid derivatives. It is often found floating at sea or washed ashore, has a pleasant odor, and is added to perfumes as a fixative to slow down the rate of evaporation.