Eben
/ˈɛbən/noun
An archaic English word for ebony or dark, valuable wood.
Did you know?The ancient Egyptian word ḥbny, referring to ebony, is widely regarded as the source of Greek ébenos and ultimately English words for ebony and ebon.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Egypt
Egyptian
ḥbny
“Ebony, a dark and highly prized wood, likely imported from regions south of Egypt”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ébenos
“Ebony wood; probably borrowed from Egyptian”
Classical Latin
Latin
ebenus
“Ebony tree or ebony wood”
Old French
Old French
ebene
“Ebony”
Middle English
English
eben
“Ebony or ebony wood”
Modern English
English
eben
“An obsolete or archaic term for ebony”
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