Mahogany
/məˈhɒɡəni/noun
A reddish-brown tropical hardwood, or the tree that produces it.
Did you know?The English word entered through Spanish/Caribbean trade routes, and its exact deeper origin is uncertain, though it likely came from an indigenous American language name for the tree.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian Caribbean
Indigenous
*maguá* / *mahóni* (uncertain reconstructions)
“A local name for a valuable tropical tree used in the region”
16th Century
Spanish
caoba
“Mahogany; the tropical hardwood/tree”
17th Century
English
mahogany
“A tropical hardwood imported for fine furniture and paneling”
Modern English
English
mahogany
“The reddish-brown wood of mahogany trees, or the tree itself”