ivory
gb/ˈaɪvɚi/ us/ˈaɪvɚi/
B2
Kiingereza
~ 8000
Maana
maana 0
Nomino
B2
entity
1
hard white material from tusks
A hard, smooth, white material from the long teeth (tusks) of animals like elephants, used to make things such as jewelry or art objects.
Muundo wa matumizi:
[someone] buys/sells ivory
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners sometimes confuse ivory with general 'bone'. Ivory comes specifically from tusks or very large teeth and is often linked to elephants and wildlife protection.
Visawe
tusk (Refers to the whole long tooth itself, not specifically the cut material made from it.)
Vinyume
plastic (A man-made material often used instead of real ivory.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
illegal ivory trade
|ivory tusks
|carved ivory
|ivory figurine
|ivory jewelry
|ban on ivory
Mada
nature
|animals
|environment
|materials
|arts_entertainment
Mifano
- The government introduced a ban on the international ivory trade.
- Craftsmen once carved delicate statues from elephant ivory.
- Customs officers seized several kilos of illegal ivory at the border.
- Many piano keys used to be made from real ivory.
- Conservation groups campaign against buying ivory products of any kind.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- They saw a shop selling small boxes made of ivory.
- The museum showed old carvings made from elephant ivory.
- Many people do not buy ivory because they want to protect elephants.
Nomino
B2
entity
2
a pale creamy white color
A very light, creamy white color, like the color of ivory from tusks.
Muundo wa matumizi:
[something] is in ivory
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners may think ivory means any white color. It is a specific kind of white that looks a little creamy or warm, not bright or pure white.
Visawe
off-white (A general term for not-quite-white colors; ivory is one specific, slightly creamy type of off-white.)
Vinyume
black (The darkest color, often treated as the opposite of very light colors like ivory.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
shade of ivory
|in ivory
|soft ivory
|warm ivory
|ivory paint
|ivory tone
Mada
colors
|fashion
|design
|core_vocabulary
|arts_entertainment
Mifano
- The walls were painted a soft ivory to make the room feel brighter.
- She chose ivory for the invitations instead of plain white.
- You can get this sofa in grey, navy, or ivory.
- The designer recommended an ivory rather than a pure white to match the floor.
- Ivory is a popular color for minimalist interiors.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- Her dress is a light ivory color.
- The kitchen is white, but the chairs are ivory.
- I like the warm ivory of this paint more than the cold white.
adjective
B2
property
3
pale creamy white in color
Being a very light, creamy white color, like ivory from tusks.
Muundo wa matumizi:
ivory [noun]
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners sometimes use *ivory* as a verb or think it only names the material. As an adjective, it always describes color, similar to words like 'red' or 'blue'.
Visawe
cream-colored (Very close in meaning; cream-colored can sometimes be slightly more yellow than ivory.)
Vinyume
brightly colored (Describes things with strong, vivid colors, the opposite of pale ivory tones.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
ivory dress
|ivory wedding gown
|ivory skin
|ivory walls
|ivory lace
|ivory shirt
Mada
colors
|fashion
|design
|core_vocabulary
|arts_entertainment
Mifano
- She wore an elegant ivory dress to the ceremony.
- The couple chose ivory tablecloths for the reception.
- His ivory shirt contrasted with his dark blue suit.
- The bathroom has ivory tiles and gold fixtures.
- Her porcelain cup was decorated with tiny blue flowers on an ivory background.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- She bought an ivory wedding dress.
- The chairs are ivory, and the table is dark brown.
- He wore an ivory shirt with black pants.
Nomino
slang
C1
entity
4
slang for human teeth
(Usually plural: ivories) An informal, funny word for your teeth.
Muundo wa matumizi:
[someone]'s ivories
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners may not realize that this use is slang and usually plural ('ivories'). It should not be used in formal writing or serious medical contexts.
Visawe
teeth (The normal, literal word; 'ivories' is humorous or playful and mainly used in informal speech.)
Vinyume
gums (Refers to the soft flesh around the teeth; contrasted with the hard teeth themselves.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
show your ivories
|flash his ivories
|brush your ivories
Mada
body
|slang
|communication
Mifano
- The comedian flashed his ivories as he laughed at his own joke.
- The ad joked that their toothpaste would make your ivories shine.
- He opened his mouth wide, showing all his ivories.
- The photo captured everyone grinning, their ivories on full display.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- He smiled and showed his ivories.
- In the cartoon, the man brushes his ivories very hard.
- The boy laughed, and his white ivories looked very clean.
Sarufi
Umbo la kamusi
ivory
IPA
GB/ˈaɪvɚi/
US/ˈaɪvɚi/
Silabi na mkazo
ivory (silabi 1)
Stress on 1st syllable (ivory)
Maumbo ya neno
Noun
- Base: ivory
- Plural: ivories, ivory
Familia ya neno
Forms
ivories
noun
Related words
tusk
noun
Semi
tickle the ivories
1/tˈɪkəl ðə ɪvˈɔɹiz/
idiom
informal
play the piano (humorous)
To play the piano, said in a funny or light way.
Mifano
- After dinner, he sat down to tickle the ivories for a while.
- She used to tickle the ivories in a jazz band when she was younger.
- If you can tickle the ivories, we’d love some live music at the party.
tickle the ivories
1/tˈɪkəl ðə ɪvˈɔɹiz/
idiom
informal
play the piano
To play the piano.
Mifano
- After dinner, he sat down to tickle the ivories for a while.
- She can really tickle the ivories when the mood hits.
- They hired a guy to tickle the ivories in the hotel bar.
ivory tower
1/ˈaɪvɚi tˈaʊɚ/
idiom
Isolated from real life
A situation or place where people are separated from practical problems and everyday life, often used about academics or intellectuals.
Mifano
- The professor was accused of living in an ivory tower, out of touch with reality.
- Some critics say the committee makes decisions from an ivory tower.
ivory tower
2/ˈaɪvɚi tˈaʊɚ/
idiom
detached academic or intellectual world
A place or situation where people, often academics or experts, are separated from normal life and real problems.
Mifano
- Critics say the policy was designed in an ivory tower, with little understanding of ordinary people’s lives.
- She left her ivory tower and started working directly with local communities.
- The professor was accused of living in an ivory tower, far from the realities of business.