mahogany

noun

ma·hog·a·ny | \ mə-ˈhä-gə-nē

plural mahoganies

Definition of mahogany

1 : the wood of any of various chiefly tropical trees (family Meliaceae, the mahogany family):

a(1) : the durable yellowish-brown to reddish-brown usually moderately hard and heavy wood of a West Indian tree (Swietenia mahagoni) that is widely used for cabinetwork and fine finish work

(2) : a wood similar to mahogany from a congeneric tropical American tree (especially S. macrophylla)

b(1) : the rather hard heavy usually odorless wood of any of several African trees (genus Khaya)

(2) : the rather lightweight cedar-scented wood of any of several African trees (genus Entandrophragma) that varies in color from pinkish to deep reddish brown

2 : any of various woods resembling or substituted for mahogany obtained from trees of the mahogany family

3 : a tree that yields mahogany

4 : a moderate reddish brown

Examples of mahogany in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

ULTIMATE HEAT RETENTION Love the style of a showpiece mahogany or oak front door? — The Good Housekeeping Institute, Good Housekeeping, "GH Seal Spotlight: Window World Doors Presented by Therma Tru," 5 Apr. 2019 For the occasion, the duchess wore a mahogany J.Crew mock neck sweater with a brown cargo jacket, black skinny jeans, and See by Chloé ankle combat boots. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Kate Middleton Wears a J.Crew Sweater and Combat Boots for an Outdoor Event," 28 Mar. 2019 The interior—all marble and mahogany—manages to straddle the line between Texas traditional and contemporary. — Diana Oates, Condé Nast Traveler, "10 Best Hotels in Houston," 9 Oct. 2018 Inside, rolling mahogany cabinets allow the owner to change the living, working, and dining configurations, while a polished black-and-white granite floor is used throughout. — Megan Barber, Curbed, "Mies-inspired glass house could be yours for $575K," 10 Sep. 2018 On Thursday, the president and first lady were present at his formal investiture ceremony, during which Kavanaugh sat in a special mahogany chair once used by Chief Justice John Marshall. — Anna North, Vox, "Christine Blasey Ford has a security detail because she still receives threats," 8 Nov. 2018 My job is to ensure she’s not only comfortable with the color of her skin, but also confident that her mahogany hue is absolutely stunning. — Christine Michel Carter, Harper's BAZAAR, "The Challenges of Raising a Black Girl to Feel Beautiful," 18 Oct. 2018 Reaching their $10,000 limit for the immense mahogany dining table, they were outbid by the owner of a bed and breakfast offering $11,000. — Michael Henry Adams, Town & Country, "Inside the Auction of Eileen Slocum's Astounding Newport Mansion," 28 Sep. 2018 Musso and Frank Grill With its mahogany bar and red leather banquettes, Musso and Frank has an air of old world Hollywood swagger. — Krista Simmons, Condé Nast Traveler, "20 Best Bars in Los Angeles," 28 Feb. 2018

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

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Last Updated

25 Apr 2019

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The first known use of mahogany was in 1660

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More Definitions for mahogany

mahogany

noun

English Language Learners Definition of mahogany

: a strong reddish-brown wood that is used especially for making furniture and that comes from several tropical trees also : a tree that produces this wood

: a reddish-brown color

See the full definition for mahogany in the English Language Learners Dictionary

mahogany

noun

ma·hog·a·ny | \ mə-ˈhä-gə-nē

plural mahoganies