Ebon

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈɛbən/

Definitions

1. A descriptor for an intensely dark or black shade commonly associated with certain woods
2. A label for a very dark or black hue often related to specific wood types that exude a sense of richness and luxury
3. Describing a deep, rich black color often seen in certain fine woods

Etymology: Ebon is an older English word for ebony, the dense black heartwood of certain tropical trees, and it has been used as a colour word for centuries. It came into English through Old French "eban" (modern "ébène"), which descends from Latin "ebenus". The Latin word was itself borrowed from Ancient Greek "ébenos", the name of the ebony tree, so the chain of borrowing runs from Greek trading and botanical vocabulary into Roman and then medieval European usage. The Greek name is widely thought to have Egyptian or Semitic roots, though the exact source is uncertain, and it reached Europe through the trade in ebony wood from Africa and South Asia. Because the wood was prized for being so dark and heavy that it could take a high polish, writers used its name as a shorthand for blackness. Over time "ebon" moved from naming the wood to describing anything that matched its colour, and it is now mostly a poetic word for a deep, glossy black.

Synonyms: black, dark, jet, raven, sable

Antonyms: white, light, pale, fair, bright