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
Imagine looking at all these colors at once against a background of invariably five-leaflet leaves on mahogany red stems.
—
Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 26 Apr. 2024
The sweetness of coconut and the earthy aroma of mahogany provide a scent full of depth and sophistication.
—Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2024
To split the difference, Riva dumped non-essential components that added weight, such as the mahogany transom, but kept everything else the same, winding up with a top speed of 40 knots with a 25-mile range and a cruising speed of 25 knots.
—J. George Gorant, Robb Report, 17 Apr. 2024
On the upper floor, though, the brand’s latest homewares offering was revealed in a series of rooms whose walls had been, somewhat astonishingly, covered in mahogany paneling and charcoal wool coverings just for the occasion.
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2024
Funk’s husband built it from raw mahogany and topped it with granite, for a total cost of about $3,400.
—Sophia Solano, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
More than 10,000 customers just bought this scented Yankee Candle that has warm and earthy notes of musk, patchouli, and mahogany wood.
—Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 3 Feb. 2024
Prince Andrew's two favorite teddy bears were placed on mahogany thrones at his bedside.
—Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 8 Apr. 2024
The original kitchen cabinets had been painted a dismal harvest gold color, and dry rot had settled in behind the tile that had been inexplicably installed over the original mahogany paneling in the bathrooms.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2024
Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 26 Apr. 2024
The sweetness of coconut and the earthy aroma of mahogany provide a scent full of depth and sophistication.
—Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2024
To split the difference, Riva dumped non-essential components that added weight, such as the mahogany transom, but kept everything else the same, winding up with a top speed of 40 knots with a 25-mile range and a cruising speed of 25 knots.
—J. George Gorant, Robb Report, 17 Apr. 2024
On the upper floor, though, the brand’s latest homewares offering was revealed in a series of rooms whose walls had been, somewhat astonishingly, covered in mahogany paneling and charcoal wool coverings just for the occasion.
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2024
Funk’s husband built it from raw mahogany and topped it with granite, for a total cost of about $3,400.
—Sophia Solano, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
More than 10,000 customers just bought this scented Yankee Candle that has warm and earthy notes of musk, patchouli, and mahogany wood.
—Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 3 Feb. 2024
Prince Andrew's two favorite teddy bears were placed on mahogany thrones at his bedside.
—Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 8 Apr. 2024
The original kitchen cabinets had been painted a dismal harvest gold color, and dry rot had settled in behind the tile that had been inexplicably installed over the original mahogany paneling in the bathrooms.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mahogany.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near mahogany
Cite this Entry
“Mahogany.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mahogany. Accessed 1 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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