ebony

noun

eb·o·ny | \ ˈe-bə-nē

plural ebonies

Definition of ebony

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a hard heavy blackish wood yielded by various tropical chiefly southeast Asian trees (genus Diospyros of the family Ebenaceae, the ebony family)

2a : a tree yielding ebony

b : any of several trees yielding wood like ebony

ebony

adjective

Definition of ebony (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : made of or resembling ebony

2 : black, dark

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about ebony

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Synonyms & Antonyms for ebony

Synonyms: Adjective

black, pitch-black, pitch-dark, pitchy, raven, sable

Antonyms: Adjective

white

Examples of ebony in a Sentence

Adjective

the ebony loudspeakers on their chrome stands look very sleek and modern

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The ebony fingerboard has more brightness and snap than the rosewood used on most Fender electrics. — Henry Robertson, Popular Mechanics, "Fender's 'Acoustasonic' Is a True Acoustic-Electric Hybrid Guitar," 22 Jan. 2019 The desk, made with ivory and mother of pearl inlays, is considered a masterpiece of Pietro Piffetti, one of the most important ebony carpenters of his time. — Simone Somekh, The Seattle Times, "Italian antique desk once displayed in NYC’s Met recovered," 24 July 2018 Thus far in 2018, Tricorn Black, a deep, saturated ebony that is perennially one of the company’s most popular blacks, is the 12th most popular paint sold by Sherwin-Williams in the U.S., up from the 33rd spot in 2017. — Laura Fenton, Curbed, "Black is the new black," 1 Aug. 2018 Her art has thrived, in part, on a physical candor that both shocked people and redrew the boundaries of taste, beauty and eroticism around her masculinity, ebony skin and unrelenting intensity. — Wesley Morris, New York Times, "Review: ‘Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami’ Finds the Model, Singer, Actress, Person," 12 Apr. 2018 Although both ships already aim to make passengers feel more like residents than guests, these 2,500-square-foot suites, with their ebony baby grand pianos and mahogany and quartzite bars, push the vision further. — Cynthia Drescher, Condé Nast Traveler, "Oceania Cruises Celebrates Ralph Lauren Partnership with 'Re-Mastered' Suites," 10 Oct. 2018 There is some fine Saharan sand in a tiny clay pot, an ebony walking stick, two carved Moroccan chairs with red leather seats, a white T-shirt signed by Andy Warhol. — Amy Wallace, GQ, "Walton Goggins’s L.A. Home Is an Always-Changing Collage of Stuff," 14 Mar. 2018 In its shadow, sea lions splash in the shallows, their distinctive barks intermingled with the crashing waves, as scarlet Sally Lightfoot crabs scuttle along the ebony shoreline and Galápagos hawks survey the scene from above. — Alexandra Kirkman, Fortune, "Visit the Galapagos Like a Royal," 23 June 2018 Loggers also cut swaths of royal ebony, mahogany, and white oak for export and for coal production. — Shanna Baker, Smithsonian, "The Quest to Preserve the Last of Castro’s Crocodiles," 21 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Calder would take a break from sculptures and mobiles to craft a silver milk skimmer with a spiderweb design or an ebony toilet paper holder shaped like a hand. — Jennie Yabroff, Town & Country, "Inside Alexander Calder's New England Home," 20 Oct. 2017 The white-walled living room features ebony wood floors and a wall fireplace. — Neal J. Leitereg, latimes.com, "Jared Leto gets his price and more for Cahuenga Pass pad," 15 July 2017 Today brunettes, redheads, and ebony-haired beauties all lay claim to their place in the sun. — Leslie Camhi, Vogue, "Spring’s Bold Statement Hair: Show Your Colors," 4 Feb. 2014 That's owing to the fact that 10 Roam is Odin's first incense fragrance, with smokey base notes rooted in resin, but also coconut milk and ebony wood. — Jonathan Evans, Esquire, "10 Roam by Odin Fragrances," 3 May 2013 Brick arches, ebony-paneled walls and murals of drinking monks. — Anya Yurchyshyn, Esquire, ""Today You Will Put On Blue Egyptian Stockings"- New Fiction* from Rozalia Jovanovic," 8 Sep. 2008

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ebony.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.