What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
black
Example
She wore a beautiful black dress to the party. [black: adjective]
Example
He has black hair and brown eyes. [black: noun]
Example
The news of the accident cast a black cloud over the entire community. [black: adjective]
ebony
Example
The piano keys were made of smooth ebony. [ebony: noun]
Example
Her ebony skin glowed in the sunlight. [ebony: adjective]
Example
The poet described her eyes as pools of ebony. [ebony: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Black is more commonly used than ebony in everyday language. It is a versatile word that covers a wide range of contexts, while ebony is less common and is often used in specific contexts like describing wood or in poetic language.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between black and ebony?
While black is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, ebony has a more formal and poetic connotation. It is often used in literature or when describing something elegant or sophisticated.
