# ebony

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɛb.ən.i/ · frequency rank #18,548

## Definitions
1. A hard, dense, deep black wood from various subtropical and tropical trees, especially of the genus Diospyros.
2. A tree that yields such wood.
3. A deep, dark black colour.
4. Dark skin colour.
5. A black key on a piano or other keyboard instrument (as opposed to ivory).

## Etymology
From earlier heben, hebeny, from Middle English ebenif, hebenyf (influenced by Late Latin hebeninus), from Ecclesiastical Latin ebenius (“of ebony”), from Latin hebenus (“ebon tree”), from Ancient Greek ἔβενος (ébenos), from Egyptian hbnj, U13:n-Z4:M3

## Easily confused with
- **eon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ebony-vs-eon)
- **elon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ebony-vs-elon)
- **econ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ebony-vs-econ)
- **Eton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ebony-vs-eton)
- **exon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ebony-vs-exon)
- **ebook** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ebony-vs-ebook)
- **epoxy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ebony-vs-epoxy)
- **embody** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ebony-vs-embody)
- **eBay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ebay-vs-ebony)
- **Eben** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eben-vs-ebony)
- **Ebola** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ebola-vs-ebony)

## Common misspellings (7)
`beony`, `ebbony`, `ebnoy`, `ebonny`, `ebonyy`, `eboyn`, `eobny`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ebony