ebon
UK[ˈɛbən]US[ˈɛbən]
adj
Of a deep black color, like ebony.
n
A deep black color; ebony wood.
Etymology
The word 'ebon' traces its lineage back to the ancient Egyptian 'hbny', denoting the prized dark hardwood. This term was adopted into Greek as 'ebenos' and subsequently into Latin as 'ebenus'. Entering English via Old French, the word originally referred specifically to the dense, dark tropical wood. Over time, its primary semantic function shifted from denoting the material itself to describing the intense, glossy black color characteristic of that wood, becoming a poetic synonym for deep blackness.
Analysis
The word 'ebon' is a simplex form. It is a direct borrowing from the Middle English 'ebon' or 'eben', which came from Old French 'ebaine', ultimately from Latin 'ebenus' and Greek 'ebenos', referring to the ebony tree or its wood.
Examples
The raven's feathers were an ebon sheen against the snow.
The old cabinet was crafted from a single piece of rich ebon.
Her hair fell in ebon waves down her back.