Mahogany

Mahogany

Noun / Adjective · /məˈhɒɡ.ə.ni/

Definition

(Noun) a hard reddish-brown tropical timber from trees of the genus Swietenia, widely used for fine furniture; the rich reddish-brown colour of this wood; (Adjective) of a rich reddish-brown colour.

Origin

From Spanish mahogani, possibly from a Mayan or Nahuatl source, though the precise origin is disputed. The word entered English in the 17th century as the timber trade with the Caribbean and Central America developed. Mahogany became the prestige timber of Georgian and Victorian furniture-making.