Emily Dickinson Lexicon

EB'ON-Y, n. [L. ebenus; Gr. εβενος or εβελος; Fr. ebene; It. and Sp. ebano; D. ebbenhout; G. ebenholz.]

1. The popular name of various species of different genera of plants.
2. A species of hard, heavy and durable wood, which admits of a fine polish or gloss; said to be brought from Madagascar. The most usual color is black, red, or green. The best is a jet black, free from veins and rind, very heavy, a stringent, and of an acrid pungent taste. On burning coals it yields an agreeable perfume, and when green it readily takes fire from its abundance of fat. It is wrought into toys and used for mosaic and inlaid work. Encyc.