ivory Meaning & Definition
What Does Ivory Mean?
As a noun, ivory means The hard white form of dentin which forms the tusks of elephants, walruses and other animals. It is also used to mean A creamy white color, the color of ivory. As an adjective, it means Made of ivory.
Ivory: Key Facts
| Part of speech | noun, adjective |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //ˈaɪv(ə)ɹi// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | pearl, bone and tusk |
| Plural | ivories |
Ivory Definition (Noun)
- The hard white form of dentin which forms the tusks of elephants, walruses and other animals.
- A creamy white color, the color of ivory.
ivory:
- Something made from or resembling ivory.
- The teeth.
- The keys of a piano; or, the white keys, as opposed to the black keys (ebonies).
to tickle the ivories
- A white person.
- A die (object bearing numbers, thrown in games of chance).
Ivory as an Adjective
- Made of ivory.
- Resembling or having the colour of ivory.
Noun
- (collective, singular or in plural) The teeth.
- (collective, singular or in plural) The keys of a piano.
Synonyms of Ivory
Ivory synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Ivory
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
Ivory in a Sentence
ivory:
to tickle the ivories
Word Forms & Grammar
ivory (countable and uncountable, plural ivories)
ivory (not comparable)
Words That Rhyme With Ivory
Origin of Ivory
From Middle English yvorie, yvory, from Anglo-Norman ivurie, from Latin eboreus (“in or of ivory”) adjective of ebur (“ivory”) (genitive eboris), from Demotic Egyptian yb (“ivory, Elephantine”) (compare Coptic ⲓⲏⲃ (iēb, “Elephantine”)), from Egyptian ꜣbw (“elephant, ivory, Elephantine”), from Proto-Afroasiatic *leb-. Displaced native Old English elpendbān (literally “elephant bone”).
How Do You Say Ivory?
You say ivory as //ˈaɪv(ə)ɹi//. It has 1 syllable.
Ivory: Your Questions Answered
Is ivory a noun or an adjective?
Ivory is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as an adjective.
What is another word for ivory?
Words with a similar meaning to ivory include pearl, bone and tusk. See the full list of ivory synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of ivory?
The plural of ivory is ivories.