ivory
B2Neutral to formal, with specialised uses.
Definition
Meaning
A hard, creamy-white substance that forms the tusks of elephants, walruses, and some other mammals.
1. The colour of this material; a pale yellowish-white. 2. A thing made of or resembling ivory, especially a piano key or a decorative carving. 3. (Often 'Ivory') Something perceived as being aloof, privileged, or isolated from real-world concerns (e.g., ivory tower).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The core meaning is concrete and biological. The colour sense is a metonymic extension. The 'ivory tower' metaphor is a common figurative extension with negative connotations of impracticality.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The word is identical in spelling, meaning, and usage patterns. The phrase 'ivory tower' is equally common and understood.
Connotations
Identical. Both associate the core material with luxury, historical trade, and now, conservation. The 'ivory tower' connotes academic aloofness in both.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in British English due to historical colonial connections and place names (e.g., Ivory Coast).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Made] of ivory[Carved] from ivoryA ban on ivoryThe colour of ivoryTower of ivory (poetic/archaic)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Ivory tower”
- “Tickle the ivories (informal: to play the piano)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to the banned international trade in elephant tusks; 'ivory trade' is a key phrase.
Academic
Used in biology, art history, and conservation studies. Figuratively in 'ivory tower' critiques.
Everyday
Primarily as a colour description ('ivory wedding dress') or in reference to piano keys.
Technical
Zoology/Dentistry: the dentine composing mammalian tusks.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- She chose an ivory satin for her bridal gown.
- The antique box was inlaid with ivory panels.
American English
- They painted the trim an ivory shade.
- The law prohibits the sale of ivory artifacts.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The piano has black and ivory keys.
- My shirt is ivory, not white.
- Many countries have banned the sale of ivory.
- Her wedding dress was a beautiful ivory colour.
- The intricate ivory carving was a museum masterpiece.
- Critics accused the professor of living in an ivory tower.
- The poaching crisis has made the ivory trade a key issue in international conservation talks.
- His research, while brilliant, was often dismissed as irrelevant ivory-tower theorising.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a grand, old PIANO. Its keys are made of IVORY, a creamy-white material from elephant tusks. The phrase 'IVORY tower' describes an isolated, theoretical place, like an academic in a tower made of piano keys, disconnected from the real world.
Conceptual Metaphor
PURITY/ISOLATION (ivory tower) <-> DIRTY/WORLDLY (the real world). LUXURY/VALUE (historical) <-> CRUELTY/EXPLOITATION (modern).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'слоновая кость' which is the direct translation and used identically. The colour 'ivory' is often 'цвет слоновой кости' or 'кремовый'. The idiom 'ivory tower' is translated as 'башня из слоновой кости'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'ivory' as a general term for any white animal material (e.g., whalebone). Misspelling as 'ivary' or 'ivoryy'. Incorrectly using 'ivory' as a verb (*'to ivory something').
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'ivory tower' typically imply about a person?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while most commonly associated with elephants, ivory also comes from the tusks of walruses, hippopotamuses, narwhals, and extinct mammoths.
No, 'ivory' is not a standard verb in contemporary English. The related verb 'to ivory' is obsolete.
'Ivory' is a specific shade of off-white with a slight, warm yellowish or creamy tint, named after the material. 'Off-white' is a broader category including all whites that are not pure white.
It criticises intellectuals or institutions for being secluded, privileged, and overly focused on theoretical ideas, thereby being out of touch with the practical problems and realities of ordinary life.