Ebony Meaning
/ˈɛb.ən.i/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA hard, dense, deep black wood from various subtropical and tropical trees, especially of the genus Diospyros.
nounA tree that yields such wood.
Sentence Examples
Her eyes were as black as ebony and as deep as the sea.
The organ of this cathedral is made of ebony, except the pipes of course.
The cat's fur shimmered with a deep ebony hue.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The antique table was made of smooth, dark ____ wood from Africa.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Her eyes were as black as ____ and as deep as the sea.
Word Origin & History
From earlier heben, hebeny, from Middle English ebenif, hebenyf (influenced by Late Latin hebeninus), from Ecclesiastical Latin ebenius (“of ebony”), from Latin hebenus (“ebon tree”), from Ancient Greek ἔβενος (ébenos), from Egyptian hbnj, U13:n-Z4:M3
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"“You live up the road past the ebony tree, right?” he asked, looking past me."
— 2018, Nnedi Okorafor, Who Fears Death, HarperVoyager, page 51:
"At dawn the hunters were off. There were fifty sleek, black warriors, and in their midst, lithe and active as a young forest god, strode Tarzan of the Apes, his brown skin contrasting oddly with the ebony of his companions. Except for color he was one of them."
— 1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York: Ballantine Books, published 1963, page 130:
"Ebony and ivory / Live together in perfect harmony / Side by side on my piano keyboard / Oh lord, why don't we?"
— 1982, Paul McCartney, “Ebony and Ivory”, in Tug of War, performed by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder:
"Tony had gone into the storage room and gotten two more standing lamps, one placed near the ebonies and ivories."
— 2016, Peter Wendt, Nikki Magee, Lulu.com, page 52:
"Seats are trimmed in a grey and blue moquette and tables are finished with grey Vyanide tops, gilt edging and ebony legs."
— 1961 February, “New "Mini-Buffets" from Wolverton”, in Trains Illustrated, page 79:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The antique table was made of smooth, dark ____ wood from Africa.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Her eyes were as black as ____ and as deep as the sea.