ebony

1 of 2

noun

eb·​o·​ny ˈe-bə-nē 

plural ebonies

1

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

2

a

: a tree yielding ebony

b

: any of several trees yielding wood like ebony

ebony

2 of 2

adjective

1

: made of or resembling ebony

2

: black, dark

Synonyms

Adjective

• black

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

If instead of rich ebony or chocolate, the media turns a wan gray brown, it’s lost significant moisture. —Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 June 2025

The 74 rooms and suites are decorated with lacquered ebony or walnut and are equipped with steam showers, bathtubs, and complimentary minibars. —Erica Firpo, AFAR Media, 29 May 2025

Adjective

In the study, meanwhile, dark-hued walls and ebony wood are accented by abstract, colorful art. —Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 24 May 2025

Dating back roughly 1,500 years, the artifacts are carved from rare ebony wood that originated in India or Sri Lanka. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably from Late Latin hebeninus of ebony, from Greek ebeninos, from ebenos ebony, from Egyptian hbnj

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

ebony

1 of 2 noun

eb·​o·​ny ˈeb-ə-nē 

plural ebonies

1

: a hard heavy blackish wood of various tropical chiefly southeast Asian trees related to the persimmon

2

: a tree that produces ebony

ebony

2 of 2 adjective

1

: made of or resembling ebony

2

: black entry 1 sense 1