n pl -onies
1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) any of various tropical and subtropical trees of the genus Diospyros, esp D. ebenum of S India, that have hard dark wood: family Ebenaceae See also persimmon
2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) the wood of such a tree, much used for cabinetwork
3. (Fine Arts & Visual Arts / Colours)
a. a black colour, sometimes with a dark olive tinge
b. (as adjective) an ebony skin
[C16 hebeny, from Late Latin ebeninus from Greek ebeninos, from ebenos ebony, of Egyptian origin]
