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• ivory
  ivory

  noun

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

  noun

  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)

ivory

American  

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

noun

ivories plural

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

Derived Forms

• ivory-like
  adjective
• ivorylike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• ivories
  plural

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”; see -eous

Explanation

Ivory is a hard, white substance found in the tusks of animals such as elephants. Ivory also refers to a white-ish color, like the ivory keys on a piano. One of the most prized animal products is ivory, which comes from the tusks of elephants and walruses. Ivory — which is extremely hard dentine — is used in many objects, especially expensive, decorative ones such as statues. Unfortunately, the elephant population is endangered due to hunting elephants for their ivory, so this pretty substance comes at a high price. Ivory is also the name of a color that is close to the shade of bleached bones or pearl.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ivory Ivory ivories

Chey paired an ivory suit with a black tie.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

Some of those eagerly sought to enlighten their charges, while a few others grew to see – or claimed to see – an unbridgeable chasm between the ivory tower and mass cultural aspiration.

From Salon ● Apr. 19, 2026

The florist-by-trade gestures behind her to hundreds of flowers contained in buckets — blue thistles, ivory anemones and calla lilies painted silver — all twisted and unfurling into the air.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 2, 2026

And on an artefact called "adorant" from the Geißenklösterle cave in the Achtal valley, they identified rows of dots and notches on an ivory plaque showing a lion-human creature.

From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2026

I lean down and stroke Boomer’s head, black dappled with spots of ivory.

From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish

At the World Cup, he played in both positions for Ivory Coast.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

He moved from his native Ivory Coast to an academy in the United States in 2025 before joining Spanish side Leganes.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

Following the 2002–2011 politico-military crisis that severely weakened its economy, Ivory Coast has regained stability, with growth regularly above six percent, making it among the drivers of West Africa.

From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026

Despite a massive informal sector that accounts for nearly 90 percent of jobs, macroeconomic indicators are positive for Ivory Coast, notably with Fitch Ratings having lifted its sovereign assessment to BB in December.

From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026

“And look at that huge tree! It’s like the Council Tree where all the Goldengrove elders meet. The stream could be the Ivory River.”

From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish

This is not a concert in which the lead singer will occasionally tinkle the ivories for effect.

From Salon ● Jun. 24, 2025

Established in 1957 – three years before independence - the museum houses objects from across the country, including Ife bronze and terracotta heads, Benin brass plaques and ivories, and Ibibio masks and costumes.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2024

She started moving her fingers around the ivories just to get a feel for the instrument, and her wife ran in saying, “Press record!”

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2023

But an executive at Atlantic Records had listened to it and replied with a directive: Silence the ivories.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 24, 2022

“How are you all doing?” the nurse said, bounding in and exhibiting her ivories again.

From "The Pigman" by Paul Zindel