mahogany

noun

ma·​hog·​a·​ny mə-ˈhä-gə-nē 

plural mahoganies

1

: the wood of any of various chiefly tropical trees (family Meliaceae, the mahogany family):

a(1)

: the durable yellowish-brown to reddish-brown usually moderately hard and heavy wood of a West Indian tree (Swietenia mahagoni) that is widely used for cabinetwork and fine finish work

(2)

: a wood similar to mahogany from a congeneric tropical American tree (especially S. macrophylla)

b(1)

: the rather hard heavy usually odorless wood of any of several African trees (genus Khaya)

(2)

: the rather lightweight cedar-scented wood of any of several African trees (genus Entandrophragma) that varies in color from pinkish to deep reddish brown

2

: any of various woods resembling or substituted for mahogany obtained from trees of the mahogany family

3

: a tree that yields mahogany

4

: a moderate reddish brown

Examples of mahogany in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Filled with natural light, the entryway has mahogany accents and a large glass wall that looks through to an outdoor sitting area. —David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 1 Mar. 2025

Former Presidents Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon both used the mahogany desk. —Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2025

The vanity table looks completely different now, as it has been restored and repainted to a mahogany color and given all-new brass finishes. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025

Right, through a columned doorway, is the living room, where the floors are maple with mahogany inlay. —Angela Serratore, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mahogany

• African mahogany
• mountain mahogany
• Philippine mahogany

Kids Definition

mahogany

noun

ma·​hog·​a·​ny mə-ˈhäg-ə-nē 

plural mahoganies

1

: the wood of any of various chiefly tropical trees: as

a

: the strong usually reddish brown and heavy wood of a West Indian tree that is widely used to make furniture

b

: any of several African woods that vary in color from pinkish to deep reddish brown

2

: any of various woods resembling or substituted for true mahogany

3

: a tree from which mahogany is obtained

4

: a moderate reddish brown