Ebon
/ˈɛbən/noun
Black or very dark, especially resembling ebony.
Did you know?The word ultimately traces to the ancient Egyptian name for ebony, a luxury wood associated with long-distance trade and elite objects in the ancient world.
Etymological Timeline
2nd millennium BCE
Egyptian
hbny
“Ebony, a valuable dark hardwood”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἔβενος (ébenos)
“Ebony tree or wood, borrowed from an older Near Eastern or Egyptian term”
Classical Latin
Latin
ebenus
“Ebony”
Medieval Latin
Latin
ebenum
“Ebony wood”
12th–14th Century
Old French
eben(e)
“Ebony”
16th Century
English
ebon
“Black, dark, or made of ebony”