ebony

American  

[eb-uh-nee] / ˈɛb ə ni /

noun

plural

ebonies

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.

---

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

---

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

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

Grandchildren, then, the woman insists, and so after more deliberation they pick out three ebony elephants for the children of the children.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver