IVORY Definition & Meaning

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ivory

[ ahy-vuh-ree, ahy-vree ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

plural ivories.

the hard white substance, a variety of dentin, composing the main part of the tusks of elephants, walruses, etc.
this substance when taken from a dead animal and used to make carvings, billiard balls, etc.
some substance resembling this.
an article made of this substance, as a carving or a billiard ball.
a tusk, as of an elephant.
dentin of any kind.
Slang. a tooth, or the teeth.
ivories, Slang.
1. the keys of a piano or of a similar keyboard instrument.
2. dice.
Also called vegetable ivory. the hard endosperm of the ivory nut, used for ornamental purposes, for buttons, etc.
a creamy or yellowish white.
a smooth paper finish produced by coating with beeswax before calendering.

adjective

consisting or made of ivory.
of the color ivory.

Ivory

/ ˈ��ɪ��ə��ɪ /

noun

IvoryJames1928MUSFILMS AND TV: director James. born 1928, US film director. With the producer Ismael Merchant, his films include Shakespeare Wallah (1964), Heat and Dust (1983), A Room With a View (1986), and The Golden Bowl (2000)

ivory

/ -vrɪ; ˈ��ɪ��ə��ɪ /

noun

1. a hard smooth creamy white variety of dentine that makes up a major part of the tusks of elephants, walruses, and similar animals
2. ( as modifier )
  ivory ornaments
a tusk made of ivory
1. a yellowish-white colour; cream
2. ( as adjective )
  ivory shoes
a substance resembling elephant tusk
an ornament, etc, made of ivory
black ivory obsolete.
Black slaves collectively

ivory

/ ī′��ə-��ŧ /

The hard, smooth, yellowish-white substance forming the teeth and tusks of certain animals, such as the tusks of elephants and walruses and the teeth of certain whales. Ivory is composed of dentin.

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Derived Forms

ˈ��ǰ��-ˌ��, adjective

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Other 51�Թ� Forms

��v��·��·�� adjective

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of ivory¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French ivurie, from Latin eboreus, noun use of neuter adjective, equivalent to ebor- (stem of ebur ) “ivory” + -eus adjective suffix; compare Egyptian ab, abu, Coptic eb, ebu “ivory, elephant,” Sanskrit í��ḥ “e��󲹲Գ�”; -eous

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of ivory¹

C13: from Old French ivurie, from Latin evoreus made of ivory, from ebur ivory; related to Greek elephas ivory, elephant

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Wearing a black suit jacket over an ivory blouse and blue jeans, Watts, 56, is open, welcoming and full of gentle humor.

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They include figurines, tusks, sculptures of Benin's rulers, and an ivory mask.

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“An insider would be keeping to his ivory tower and telling other people what they should be doing. Ken Martin is in the trenches with rank-and-file members and average Democrats,” Skoufis said.

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The boss would have been mounted on to a thick rim of white organic material such as bone, ivory or antler, which has long since vanished.

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Everyone in her group was laden with two or three cone-shaped bundles — a couple dozen each of ranunculus, sweet peas, lisianthus, Queen Anne’s lace, spray roses and large roses in ivory and white.

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