# sable

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈseɪbəl/ · frequency rank #29,449

## Definitions
1. A small carnivorous mammal of the Old World that resembles a weasel, Martes zibellina, from cold regions in Eurasia and the North Pacific islands, valued for its dark brown fur.
2. Any other marten, especially Martes americana (syn. Mustela americana).
3. A pelt of fur of a sable or of one of another species of martens; a coat made from this fur.
4. An artist's brush made from the fur of the sable, the kolinsky sable-hair brush.
5. A black colour on a coat of arms.
6. A dark brown colour, resembling the fur of some sables.
7. Black garments, especially worn in mourning.
8. The sablefish.

## Etymology
Attested since 1275, from Middle English sable, from Old French sable and martre sable (“sable marten”), in reference to the animal or its fur; from Medieval Latin sabelum, from Middle Low German sabel (compare Middle Dutch sabel, Middle High German zobel); ultimately from a Slavic word (compare Russian со́боль (sóbolʹ), Polish soból, Czech sobol). Compare also Middle Persian smwl (*samōr).

## Easily confused with
- **sal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-sal)
- **SLE** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-sle)
- **same** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-same)
- **save** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-save)
- **safe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-safe)
- **sale** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-sale)
- **salt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-salt)
- **sake** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-sake)
- **sole** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-sole)
- **sail** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-sail)
- **sage** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-sage)
- **sane** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-sane)
- **Saul** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-saul)
- **sade** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-sade)
- **sala** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-sala)
- **sate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-sate)
- **style** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-style)
- **sales** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-sales)
- **scale** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-scale)
- **smile** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-smile)

## Common misspellings (8)
`asble`, `sabble`, `sabel`, `sablle`, `salbe`, `sbale`, `sible`, `ssable`

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