mahogany

noun ma·hog·a·ny \ mə-ˈhä-gə-nē \

|Updated on: 15 Aug 2018

Definition of mahogany

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

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Recent Examples of mahogany from the Web

The delegates sit in fine mahogany armchairs, not the plain Windsor chairs actually provided.

— olivia b. waxman, Time, "This Painting Is Probably How You Imagine the Original Fourth of July. Here's What's Wrong With It," 3 July 2018
The exterior of the home is enhanced with a mahogany deck and clad in shiplap siding, with a sprawling lawn in the front and a barbecue area in the back.

— alex bazeley, Curbed, "Chic beach bungalow in Montauk is perfect for a summer weekend," 2 July 2018
When your ribs become a mahogany color, wrap ribs in aluminum foil.

— kelly vaughan, courant.com, "BBQ Recipes," 22 June 2018
Boil the sugar and vinegar over moderately high heat for several minutes until the mixture has turned into a mahogany-brown syrup.

— daniel neman, sacbee, "Main dishes? Fruit is not forbidden," 26 June 2018
The Fox & Anchor, with its six boutique hotel rooms set in the backdrop of a traditional pub, exudes Victorian era vibes though intricately detailed mahogany doors and well-polished, heavy brass.

— tom marchant, Harper's BAZAAR, "103 Things to Do, See, Eat and Shop in London," 7 Dec. 2017
On the main floor, mahogany and pine floors line the foyer.

— lauren ro, Curbed, "This Savannah mansion comes with multiple apartments, wants $1.6M," 19 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
Among them were elegant mares the color of butterscotch, mahogany and fresh snow.

— peter gwin, WSJ, "The Horses That Changed History," 19 June 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.

Origin and Etymology of mahogany

origin unknown

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1660

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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MAHOGANY Defined for English Language Learners

mahogany

noun

Definition of mahogany for English Language Learners

: 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