Etymology : Middle English ivorie, from Old French ivoire, from Latin eboreus of ivory, from ebor-, ebur ivory, from Egyptian <commacolon>b, <commacolon>bw elephant, ivory
Pronunciation : 'Iv-rE, 'I-v&-rE
Function : noun
Date : 13th century
1. hard white substance which makes up the tusks of elephants and other animals; something made from ivory; elephant tusk; yellowish white color; tooth (Slang). of or like ivory, made of ivory; creamy white. ivoryblack a black pigment made from grinding burnt ivory in oilivory black. see:
under black, n...see:
ivoryivory black, a fine kind of animal charcoal prepared by calcining ivory or bones. when ground it is the chief ingredient of the ink used in copperplate printing...see:
black.
2. The hard, white, opaque, fine-grained substance constituting the tusks of the elephant.
3. It is a variety of dentine, characterized by the minuteness and close arrangement of the tubes, as also by their double flexure.
4. It is used in manufacturing articles of ornament or utility.
5. The tusks themselves of the elephant, etc.
6. Any carving executed in ivory.
7. Teeth; as, to show one's ivories. a hard smooth ivory colored dentine that makes up most of the tusks of elephants and walruses.
8. 1. Ivory is a hard cream-coloured substance which forms the tusks of elephants. It is valuable and can be used for making carved ornaments. the international ban on the sale of ivory.
9. Ivory is a creamy-white colour. Hard white substance, a variety of dentin, that makes up the tusks of such animals as elephants, walruses, and preserved mammoths. It is prized for its beauty, durability, and suitability for carving. In ancient times it was treasured as highly as gold and precious stones. Most ivory used commercially once came from Africa; sales of ivory declined in the 20th century as the populations of African elephants shrank, and worldwide concern about endangered elephant populations have led to bans on the export and import of ivory. The once-thriving markets of Europe have shifted to South Asia, where skilled artisans, often trading illegally, carve ivory into figurines and other objects. Ivory Coast ivory carving Ivory James Francis ivory billed woodpecker.