Ivory Meaning
/ˈaɪv(ə)ɹi/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounThe hard white form of dentin which forms the tusks of elephants, walruses and other animals.
nounA creamy white color, the color of ivory.
Sentence Examples
He carved designs in ivory.
At his side, he carried an ivory and silver sword.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The artisan crafted a beautiful necklace from pure ____ for the queen.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The trade of ____ is illegal in many countries to protect elephants from being killed by hunters.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English yvory, ivorie, from Anglo-Norman ivurie, from Latin eboreus (“in or of ivory”) adjective of ebur (“ivory”) (genitive eboris), from Demotic Egyptian yb (“ivory, Elephantine”) (compare Coptic ⲓⲏⲃ (iēb, “Elephantine”)), from Egyptian ꜣbw (“elephant, ivory, Elephantine”), from Proto-Afroasiatic *leb-. Displaced native Old English elpendbān (literally “elephant bone”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"“Leave the ivory!” he cried. “Leave the ivory! Dead men have no use for ivory!” Some of the Manyuema started to lay down their loads, but this was altogether too much for the avaricious Arabs."
— 1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York: Ballantine Books, published 1963, page 145:
"Ye forgot some o' yer ivories, didn't ye, on th' grass?"
— 1865, Sheridan Le Fanu, Uncle Silas:
"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:
"Men that I knew around Wapatomac didn't wear high, shiny plug hats, nor yeller spring overcoats, nor carry canes with ivory heads as big as a catboat's anchor, as you might say."
— 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter X, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
"The walls and ceiling of this drawing-room in Montague Square are painted ivory."
— 1938, Interior Decoration To-day, page 132:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The artisan crafted a beautiful necklace from pure ____ for the queen.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The trade of ____ is illegal in many countries to protect elephants from being killed by hunters.