ivory
noun
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The History of Ivory
A hard white substance that is a variety of dentin, ivory makes up the tusks of such animals as elephants, walruses, and preserved mammoths. It is prized for its beauty, durability, and suitability for carving. In ancient times it was treasured as highly as gold and precious stones. Most ivory used commercially once came from Africa, but this trade declined in the 20th century as the populations of African elephants shrank, and increasing worldwide concern about endangered elephant populations led to bans on the export and import of ivory. The once-thriving markets of Europe have shifted to southeast Asia, where skilled artisans, often trading illegally, carve ivory into figurines and other objects.
Examples of ivory in a Sentence
Taylor Augustin Littlejohn, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
Available in eight soft or neutral colors like ivory and two striped options, there’s something for almost every low-key color preference.
—Nora Taylor, Architectural Digest, 29 Dec. 2025
For ordinary people, the physical paper is joining the pay phone, the cassette tape, the answering machine, the bank check, the sound of the internal combustion engine and the ivory-white pair of women’s gloves as objects whose disappearance marks the passage of time.
—Michael Weissenstein, Fortune, 28 Dec. 2025
Grab the chestnut hue for a more signature Ugg look, or opt for gray, pink, white, or ivory.
—Madison Yauger, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Ivory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ivory. Accessed 3 Jan. 2026.
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ivory
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