ETYM French ébène, Latin ebenus, from Greek; prob. of Semitic origin; cf. Hebrew hobnîm, pl. Related to Ebon.
Any of a group of hardwood trees of the ebony family Ebenaceae, especially some tropical persimmons of the genus Diospyros, native to Africa and Asia.
Their very heavy, hard, black timber polishes well and is used in cabinetmaking and inlaying; for piano keys and violin fingerboards, chin rests, and pegs; and for sculpture.
1. Hard dark-colored heartwood of the ebony tree; used in cabinetwork and for piano keys.
2. Tropical tree of southern Asia having hard dark-colored heartwood used in cabinetwork; SYN. Diospyros ebenum.