ivory
noun /ˈaɪvəri/
/ˈaɪvəri/
(plural ivories)
- [uncountable] a hard white substance like bone that forms the tusks (= long teeth) of elephants and some other animals
- a ban on the ivory trade
- an ivory chess set
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- carved
- polished
- raw
- …
- be made from
- be made of
- carve something from
- …
- trade
- in ivory
- the trade in ivory
- [countable] an object made of ivory
- a priceless collection of ivories
- He had a good set of ivories (= teeth).
- Of an evening she would entertain them by tinkling the ivories (= playing the piano).
- [uncountable] a pale colour between white and yellow
Word OriginMiddle English: from Anglo-Norman French ivurie, based on Latin ebur.