ambergris
See also: amber-gris and amber gris
English
WOTD – 3 April 2006
Alternative forms
ambergris
alternative forms
- (largely obsolete, uncommon after 1900:) amber-gris, amber gris
- (obsolete, unused after 1900:) ambergreece, amber-greece, amber greece; ambergrease, amber-grease, amber grease; ambergreese, amber-greese
- (obsolete, common from 1750 until 1820, unused after 1900:) ambergrise, amber-grise, amber grise
- (rare, obsolete, unused after 1900:) ambergreace, amber-greace, amber greace; ambergrece, amber-grece, amber grece; ambergrese, amber-grese, amber grese; ambergrice, amber-grice, amber grice; ambergriece, amber-griece, amber griece; ambergriese, amber-griese, amber griese; ambregrise; ambregris; amber de gris
Etymology
Old French ambre gris (“grey amber”). Though the term was initially spaced as two words, single-word forms predominated by the 19th century. In the 17th century, folk etymologies interpreting the term as amber grease or amber [of] Greece enjoyed some popularity.[1]
Pronunciation
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈæm.bɚ.ɡɹɪs/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈæm.bə.ɡɹɪs/
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Audio (US) (file)
Noun
ambergris (usually uncountable, plural ambergrises)
- A solid, waxy, flammable substance of a dull grey or blackish color, produced in the intestines of the sperm whale. It is used in perfumes.
- 1851 — Herman Melville, Moby Dick
- And as for the other whale, why, I’ll agree to get more oil by chopping up and trying out these three masts of ours, than he’ll get from that bundle of bones; though, now that I think of it, it may contain something worth a good deal more than oil; yes, ambergris.
- 1851 — Herman Melville, Moby Dick
Synonyms
Translations
waxy substance produced by sperm whales
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References
- ↑ Mark Morton, Cupboard Love 2: A Dictionary of Culinary Curiosities
Further reading
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