mahogany Hear it!

mahogany definition

ma·hoga·ny (mə hägə nē, -hôg-)

noun pl. mahoganies -·nies

    1. any of a genus (Swietenia) of tropical trees of the mahogany family, with dark, heavy heartwood
    2. the wood of any of these trees; esp., the hard, reddish-brown to yellow wood of a tropical American tree (S. mahogani), valued for furniture, interior finishing, and cabinetwork
    1. any of various trees of this family having similar wood, as any of several African trees (genus Khaya)
    2. any of various trees of other families having similar wood, as a Philippine mahogany or certain eucalyptus trees
    3. the wood of any of these trees
  1. reddish brown

Etymology: earlier mohogeney < ?

adjective

  1. designating a family (Meliaceae, order Sapindales) of chiefly tropical, dicotyledonous plants, including baywood and chinaberry
  2. made of mahogany
  3. reddish-brown

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.