amber
UK[ˈæmbə]US[ˈæmbər]
n
A hard, translucent, yellowish-brown fossil resin, used for jewelry and ornaments.
n
A yellowish-brown color.
Etymology
The journey of 'amber' is a fascinating tale of linguistic borrowing and semantic evolution. It entered English from French, tracing back through Arabic to a Middle Persian word 'ambar', which originally denoted ambergris, a precious substance used in perfumery. In Arabic and later in Romance languages, the term was transferred to the fossilized tree resin, likely due to both materials being rare, valuable, and found on seashores. This historical path explains the modern English word's form and its specific association with the golden-brown fossil resin, distinct from its original referent.
Analysis
The word 'amber' is a simplex loanword. Its core form is borrowed directly from Middle French 'ambre', which came from Medieval Latin 'ambra' or 'ambar', itself derived from Arabic 'ʿanbar'. The ultimate origin is thought to be from Middle Persian 'ambar', referring to ambergris, a waxy substance from sperm whales. The semantic shift from ambergris to fossil resin occurred in Romance languages.
Examples
The necklace was made of polished Baltic amber.
The traffic light turned from green to amber.
She has striking eyes of a rare amber hue.