mahogany
n. C / Un. a hard, reddish-brown wood from tropical trees that is often used to make expensive furniture. It is known for being very strong and having a beautiful, smooth finish.
n. a durable, reddish-brown timber from tropical trees of the family Meliaceae, valued for its grain and resistance to rot. Often used in high-end cabinetry and musical instrument manufacturing.
The dining table is made of solid mahogany.
The library was lined with dark mahogany shelves that gave the room a warm and serious atmosphere.
While modern furniture often uses cheaper veneers, this antique desk is carved from genuine mahogany, showcasing the deep luster and intricate grain patterns characteristic of the species.
A word of unknown origin, concocted in either English or Middle Dutch from one or more exotic phytonyms and common European words. alternative etymologies Alternatively from Portuguese mogano, mógono, obsolete forms of mogno, itself of unknown origin (often suggested to be from the English word instead of the reverse), perhaps from an extinct indigenous language, such as a Mayan language originally spoken in Honduras or a South American language, but no known cognates survive. Another theory attempts to link Yoruba moganwo (“trees”, literally “tall ones”), but this has been criticized.
Uncountable when referring to the material or color; countable when referring to the specific species of tree.