Spanish Conversation · Level 63
76 words
Spanish word
marfil
Pronunciation
IPA/maɾˈfil/
Meaning
- masculine nounivory
Example
Esa figura es de marfil.
That figure is made of ivory.
More examples
La lámpara tiene un tono marfil que ilumina la sala.
The lamp has an ivory tone that illuminates the room.
Core concept
Pale warm cream reminiscent of an elephant tusk.
Common phrases
color marfil
ivory color
figura de marfil
ivory figure
Similar words
blanco: Bright clean pure white with no noticeable tint.
crema: Soft pale yellowish white, like milk or fresh cream.
beige: Light muted brown with a subtle yellow undertone, warm and subdued.
hueso: Pale off-white with a slightly yellowed, bone-like tone.
Definition in Spanish
Designa el material duro y blanquecino de los colmillos de ciertos animales y, por extensión, el tono claro y ligeramente cálido que recuerda a ese material.
Word origin
The word comes from medieval Romance marfil/marfim, originally the name for the hard tusk material that later extended to the pale warm color.
Usage tips
- To name the shade Spanish commonly uses 'color marfil' or 'de color marfil', and to name the material speakers say 'una pieza de marfil' or 'hecho de marfil' to avoid ambiguity.
Other meanings
- ivory-coloredadjective
- off-whitenoun
Opposites
- ébanoebonynoun