ebony
UK: ˈɛbəni | US: ˈɛbəni
n. 1. A dense, heavy blackish or very dark brown wood from tropical trees, prized for its hardness and polishability.
n. 2. The tropical tree of the genus Diospyros that produces this wood.
adj. 3. Deep black or dark brown in color (often used poetically).
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The word "ebony" traces back to the Ancient Egyptian hbny, later adopted into Greek as ἔβενος (ébenos) and Latin as ebenus. The term originally referred specifically to the dark wood imported from Africa and India. Over time, the spelling evolved into Middle English as hebeny or ebeny, eventually settling as "ebony" in Modern English. The morpheme ebon preserves the core idea of darkness, while the suffix -y generalizes it into a material or color descriptor.
The piano keys were made of ivory and ebony.
She admired the ebony statue for its smooth, glossy finish.
His hair was as dark as ebony against the pale moonlight.
The antique cabinet was crafted from rare African ebony.
The poet described the night sky as an "ebony canvas studded with stars."