sable
sable Lexical Profile
sable Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The luxurious, dark brown fur of the sable marten, traditionally used to make or trim expensive garments.
"She arrived at the winter gala wrapped in an elegant coat trimmed with sable."
A small, carnivorous mammal of the marten family, native to the forest environments of Russia, northern Mongolia, and Kazakhstan, historically highly valued for its dark fur.
"The trapper spent months in the Siberian taiga tracking the elusive sable."
The color black, especially as used in traditional heraldry or poetic literature.
"The family coat of arms featured a rampant lion depicted in sable against a silver background."
Word Nuance & Usage
In heraldry, 'sable' refers specifically to the color black, while in fashion and biology, it refers to the brown-furred marten or its pelt. In literature, it often acts as a poetic synonym for pitch-black.
• Rhymes for sable
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'sable', borrowed from Old French, from Middle Low German 'sabel', which ultimately traces back to a Slavic word (compare Russian 'sobol').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.