ETYM From the South American name.
1. Any of various tropical timber trees of the family Meliaceae especially the genus Swietinia valued for their hard yellowish- to reddish-brown wood that is readily worked and takes a high polish; SYN. mahogany tree.
2. Wood of any of various mahogany trees; much used for cabinetwork and furniture.
Timber from any of several genera of trees found in the Americas and Africa. Mahogany is a tropical hardwood obtained chiefly by rainforest logging. It has a warm red color and takes a high polish.
True mahogany comes from trees of the genus Swietenia, but other types come from the Spanish and Australian cedars, the Indian redwood, and other trees of the mahogany family Meliaceae, native to Africa and the E Indies. The species is under threat due to its popularity in the West for use in the manufacture of musical instruments, furniture, and veneers. There are attempts to make it the first hardwood tree listed under the CITES convention. + prikaži više