mahogany

noun

ma·​hog·​a·​ny mə-ˈhä-gə-nē 

plural mahoganies

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

The original owner kept the home for 56 years, preserving its mahogany wall panels, globe light fixtures and much of the kitchen and bathrooms, according to listing agent Dara Buzzard of Dudum Real Estate Group. —David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2025

The mahogany doors are gone (so to speak). —Tarun Galagali, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025

Try it with a cozy sweater in a fall hue like oatmeal, olive green, or mahogany. —Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2025

Average caskets run between $2,000 and $5,000 in the United States, but some made of mahogany, bronze or copper can cost upward of $10,000, according to the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Consumer Advice department. —Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mahogany

• African mahogany
• mountain mahogany
• Philippine mahogany

Kids Definition

mahogany

noun

ma·​hog·​a·​ny mə-ˈhäg-ə-nē 

plural mahoganies

1

: the wood of any of various chiefly tropical trees: as

a

: the strong usually reddish brown and heavy wood of a West Indian tree that is widely used to make furniture

b

: any of several African woods that vary in color from pinkish to deep reddish brown

2

: any of various woods resembling or substituted for true mahogany

3

: a tree from which mahogany is obtained

4

: a moderate reddish brown