Definition of SABLE

sable

Meanings

Plural: sables

Noun

  • an artist's brush made of sable hairs
  • the expensive dark brown fur of the marten
  • a very dark black
  • a scarf (or trimming) made of sable
  • marten of northern Asian forests having luxuriant dark brown fur
  • A small carnivorous mammal of the Old World that resembles a weasel, Martes zibellina, from cold regions in Eurasia and the North Pacific islands, valued for its dark brown fur.
  • Any other marten, especially Martes americana (syn. Mustela americana).
  • A pelt of fur of a sable or of one of another species of martens; a coat made from this fur.
  • An artist's brush made from the fur of the sable, the kolinsky sable-hair brush.
  • A black colour on a coat of arms.
  • A dark brown colour, resembling the fur of some sables.
  • Black garments, especially worn in mourning.
  • The sablefish.

Adjective Satellite

  • of a dark somewhat brownish black

Adj

  • Sable-coloured, black.
  • In blazon, of the colour black.
  • Made of sable fur.
  • Dark, somber.
  • Dark-skinned; Black.

Origin / Etymology

Attested since 1275, from Middle English sable, from Old French sable and martre sable (“sable marten”), in reference to the animal or its fur; from Medieval Latin sabelum, from Middle Low German sabel (compare Middle Dutch sabel, Middle High German zobel); ultimately from a Slavic word (compare Russian со́боль (sóbolʹ), Polish soból, Czech sobol). Compare also Middle Persian smwl (*samōr).

Synonyms

black, coal black, dusky, ebony, inky, jet black, Martes zibellina, pitch black, sable brush, sable's hair pencil, soot black, sooty, swarthy

Scrabble Score: 7

sable is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
sable is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
sable is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 9

sable is a valid Words With Friends word