mahogany

[muh-hog-uh-nee]

See more synonyms for mahogany on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural ma·hog·a·nies.

any of several tropical American trees of the genus Swietenia, especially S. mahagoni and S. macrophylla, yielding hard, reddish-brown wood used for making furniture.
the wood itself.
any of various similar trees or their wood.Compare African mahogany, Philippine mahogany.

a reddish-brown color.

adjective

pertaining to or made of mahogany.
of the color mahogany.

Origin of mahogany

First recorded in 1665–75; perhaps < some non-Carib language of the West Indies

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for mahogany

Contemporary Examples

The floors were softened by cork tiles, the walls by Philippine mahogany paneling.
The Night Vince Lombardi Lay Awake Brooding Over a 49-0 Win
W.C. Heinz
January 25, 2014
Nope, he has to be seen landing his chopper on the South Lawn, propping his leather loafers on his mahogany desk in the Oval.
Why Obama Fled His Hawaii Vacation in Shadow of the Fiscal Cliff
Lauren Ashburn
December 27, 2012
Mike Lennon and I were two of a dozen speakers who stood next to the mahogany casket.
Mailer's Final Gift
Lawrence Schiller
February 5, 2009

Historical Examples

Only two materials are used in the construction of this hull, aluminum and mahogany.
Boys' Book of Model Boats
Raymond Francis Yates
The boards are made from 1/8-inch mahogany, which can be obtained at any lumber-yard.
Boys' Book of Model Boats
Raymond Francis Yates
In both were the old-fashioned 33 mahogany furniture of our great-grandfathers.
Fair Harbor
Joseph Crosby Lincoln
The doors were of mahogany as was likewise the wainscoting of the staircases.
The Colonial Architecture of Philadelphia
Frank Cousins
“Half-past ten,” he said, glancing at the mahogany chime-clock on the mantelpiece.
The Harbor of Doubt
Frank Williams

British Dictionary definitions for mahogany

mahogany

noun plural -nies

any of various tropical American trees of the meliaceous genus Swietenia, esp S. mahagoni and S. macrophylla, valued for their hard reddish-brown wood
any of several trees with similar wood, such as African mahogany (genus Khaya) and Philippine mahogany (genus Shorea)
1. the wood of any of these treesSee also acajou (def. 2)
2. (as modifier)a mahogany table
1. a reddish-brown colour
2. (as modifier)mahogany skin

Word Origin

C17: origin obscure

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

Word Origin and History for mahogany

n.

1670s, from Spanish mahogani, of unknown origin; perhaps from the tree's native name in Maya (Honduras). As an adjective from 1730.

mahogany

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}mahogany

Examples from the Web for mahogany

Contemporary Examples

The floors were softened by cork tiles, the walls by Philippine mahogany paneling.

Nope, he has to be seen landing his chopper on the South Lawn, propping his leather loafers on his mahogany desk in the Oval.

Mike Lennon and I were two of a dozen speakers who stood next to the mahogany casket.

Historical Examples

Only two materials are used in the construction of this hull, aluminum and mahogany.

The boards are made from 1/8-inch mahogany, which can be obtained at any lumber-yard.

In both were the old-fashioned 33 mahogany furniture of our great-grandfathers.

The doors were of mahogany as was likewise the wainscoting of the staircases.

“Half-past ten,” he said, glancing at the mahogany chime-clock on the mantelpiece.

mahogany

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for mahogany

n.

Origin of mahogany