Etymology Map
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Ebony

4 stages from Egyptian to English.

Today it means A dense, black hardwood prized for fine furniture and carvings; also used to describe a deep black color.

Where does the word "ebony" come from? It comes from Egyptian hbny, passing through Ancient Greek and Latin before entering English (1500s).

1
Stage 1 of 4
hbny
Egyptian · ancient
"a dense black wood"
named a dense black wood sourced from Nubia
2
Stage 2 of 4
ebenos
Ancient Greek · ancient
"ebony wood"
Greek traders adapted the Egyptian name for the prized black wood
3
Stage 3 of 4
ebenus
Latin · ancient
"ebony wood"
Romans continued using the Greek-derived term in natural histories
4
Stage 4 of 4
ebony
English · 1500s
"a hard black wood, or the color black"
settled into English via Latin, later extended to describe a deep black color
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