ivory

American  

[ahy-vuh-ree, ahy-vree] / ˈaɪ və ri, ˈaɪ vri /

noun

plural

ivories

1. the hard white substance, a variety of dentin, composing the main part of the tusks of elephants, walruses, etc.

2. this substance when taken from a dead animal and used to make carvings, billiard balls, etc.

3. some substance resembling this.

4. an article made of this substance, as a carving or a billiard ball.

5. a tusk, as of an elephant.

6. dentin of any kind.

7. Slang. a tooth, or the teeth.

8. Slang. ivories,

   1. the keys of a piano or of a similar keyboard instrument.

   2. dice.

9. Also called vegetable ivory.  the hard endosperm of the ivory nut, used for ornamental purposes, for buttons, etc.

10. a creamy or yellowish white.

11. a smooth paper finish produced by coating with beeswax before calendering.

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adjective

1. consisting or made of ivory.

2. of the color ivory.

Ivory ¹ British  

/ ˈaɪvərɪ /

noun

1. James. born 1928, US film director. With the producer Ismael Merchant, his films include Shakespeare Wallah (1964), Heat and Dust (1983), A Room With a View (1986), and The Golden Bowl (2000)

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ivory ² British  

/ -vrɪ, ˈaɪvərɪ /

noun

1. 1. a hard smooth creamy white variety of dentine that makes up a major part of the tusks of elephants, walruses, and similar animals

   2. ( as modifier )

      ivory ornaments

2. a tusk made of ivory

3. 1. a yellowish-white colour; cream

   2. ( as adjective )

      ivory shoes

4. a substance resembling elephant tusk

5. an ornament, etc, made of ivory

6. obsolete Black slaves collectively

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ivory Scientific  

/ ī′və-rē /

1. The hard, smooth, yellowish-white substance forming the teeth and tusks of certain animals, such as the tusks of elephants and walruses and the teeth of certain whales. Ivory is composed of dentin.

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Other Word Forms

• ivory-like adjective
• ivorylike adjective

Etymology

Origin of ivory

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French ivurie, from Latin eboreus, noun use of neuter adjective, equivalent to ebor- (stem of ebur ) “ivory” + -eus adjective suffix; compare Egyptian ab, abu, Coptic eb, ebu “ivory, elephant,” Sanskrit íbhaḥ “elephant”; -eous

Example Sentences

His groundbreaking research exposed the devastating effects of poaching - often at great risk to his own safety - and was instrumental in the banning of the international ivory trade.

From BBC

Namibia had also proposed overturning the ban on African savanna elephant ivory - this too was defeated.

From BBC

The proposals on the table attempt to strengthen protections for several shark species, weaken restrictions on trade in giraffes and open the way to limited sales of rhino horn and elephant ivory.

From Barron's

Penelope sat on the love seat, which was unfortunate, as it was upholstered in ivory silk that had been unblemished until that moment.

From Literature

They are brass, ivory and wooden sculptures that once adorned the royal palace of the Benin Kingdom before British soldiers looted them in 1897 during a punitive expedition.

From BBC