mahogany

American  

[muh-hog-uh-nee] / məˈhɒg ə ni /

noun

mahoganies plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• mahoganies
  plural

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

See Examples For:

mahogany mahoganies

Martin and Co. guitar, a seamless blend of spruce, mahogany, celluloid, ebony and mother-of-pearl.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026

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

From BBC ● Jan. 21, 2026

“Accessing the parlor level, Carrara marble stairs rise with mahogany bannisters, reinforced at the landings with wrought iron bars that provide both safety and beauty—an architectural detail that reflects the craftsmanship carried throughout the home.”

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 26, 2025

There’s an obvious appeal: Smoked to a deep mahogany color using Old World techniques the company’s founder carried with him as an immigrant from Poland, this is a turkey you don’t have to roast.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 15, 2025

The woman was dressed in a servant uniform and had tightly clenched fists, mahogany skin, and a French accent.

From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older

Some intense blooms tint the ocean in swirling blues, mahoganies or “red tides” visible from space—psychedelic watercolors of microscopic life on a macroscale.

From Scientific American ● Jan. 24, 2022

The furniture crafted from the grand mahoganies is said to glow and "smile" at the beholder.

From Time Magazine Archive

In the hardest-hit areas, 60% of the hardwood trees are gone, including huge mahoganies, and many of the rare Puerto Rican parrots have disappeared.

From Time Magazine Archive

Technicolor has seldom been more affectionately used than in its registrations of the sober mahoganies and tender muslins and benign gaslights of the period.

From Time Magazine Archive

He, however, condescended to bring his taste to bear on the hunting-dress; and, it is said, introduced white tops instead of the ancient mahoganies.

From The Wits and Beaux of Society Volume 2 by Wharton, Philip