ivory: Meaning and Definition of

i•vo•ry

Pronunciation: (ī'vu-rē, ī'vrē), [key]
— n., pl. adj. -ries,
—n.
  1. the hard white substance, a variety of dentin, composing the main part of the tusks of the elephant, walrus, etc.
  2. this substance when taken from a dead animal and used to make carvings, billiard balls, etc.
  3. some substance resembling this.
  4. an article made of this substance, as a carving or a billiard ball.
  5. a tusk, as of an elephant.
  6. dentin of any kind.
  7. a tooth, or the teeth.
    1. the keys of a piano or of a similar keyboard instrument.
    2. dice.
  8. the hard endosperm of the ivory nut, used for ornamental purposes, for buttons, etc.
  9. a creamy or yellowish white.
  10. a smooth paper finish produced by coating with beeswax before calendering.
—adj.
  1. consisting or made of ivory.
  2. of the color ivory.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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