mahogany

American  

[muh-hog-uh-nee] / məˈhɒg ə ni /

noun

plural

mahoganies

1. 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.

2. the wood itself.

3. any of various similar trees or their wood.

4. a reddish-brown color.

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adjective

1. pertaining to or made of mahogany.

2. of the color mahogany.

mahogany British  

/ məˈhɒɡənɪ /

noun

1. any of various tropical American trees of the meliaceous genus Swietenia, esp S. mahagoni and S. macrophylla, valued for their hard reddish-brown wood

2. any of several trees with similar wood, such as African mahogany (genus Khaya ) and Philippine mahogany (genus Shorea )

3. 1. the wood of any of these trees See also acajou

   2. ( as modifier )

      a mahogany table

4. 1. a reddish-brown colour

   2. ( as modifier )

      mahogany skin

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Etymology

Origin of mahogany

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

Explanation

Mahogany is a dark, reddish-brown wood that comes from a tree also called a mahogany. You can also use this word for the color itself. A fancy dining room table might be made of mahogany. If your best friend has rich brown hair with red highlights, feel free to compliment her on her mahogany locks. This color's name comes from mahogany timber, sturdy wood that's used to make high-end furniture, boats, and musical instruments, including guitars. The mahogany tree only grows in tropical regions, including parts of South America, Florida, and the West Indies. The word comes from the Spanish mahogani.

Example Sentences

Its first owner, Argentine President Juan Perón, fell in love with the two-tone hardtop car, with a lustrous cream color on the roof and rich mahogany on the bottom, at the Paris Salon.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

The court wasn't one of those historic rooms with lots of mahogany and Victorian furnishings.

From BBC • Jan. 21, 2026

Customers are increasingly being lured by brands like TimberTech, which dispense with wood altogether in favor of polyvinyl chloride patterned to resemble mahogany, teak, or hickory.

From Barron's • Nov. 7, 2025

Two floors above the dining room and kitchen is the “parlor level,” which features two parlor spaces, both of which have their own fireplace, as well as mahogany floors.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 24, 2025

The small mahogany table with the picture of me from sixth grade.

From "Red Kayak" by Priscilla Cummings