amber
[ am-ber ]
/ ˈæm bər /
noun
a pale yellow, sometimes reddish or brownish, fossil resin of vegetable origin, translucent, brittle, and capable of gaining a negative electrical charge by friction and of being an excellent insulator: used for making jewelry and other ornamental articles.
the yellowish-brown color of resin.
adjective
of the color of amber; yellowish-brown: amber fields of grain.
made of amber: amber earrings.
Origin of amber
1350–1400; Middle English
ambre < Old French < Medieval Latin
ambra < Arabic
ʿanbar ambergris; confusion of the dissimilar substances perhaps because both were rare, valuable, and found on seacoasts
OTHER WORDS FROM amber
am·ber·like, am·ber·y, am·ber·ous, adjectiveWords nearby amber
Definition for amber (2 of 2)
Amber
[ am-ber ]
/ ˈæm bər /
noun
a female given name.
Example sentences from the Web for amber
British Dictionary definitions for amber
amber
/ (ˈæmbə) /
noun
- a yellow or yellowish-brown hard translucent fossil resin derived from extinct coniferous trees that occurs in Tertiary deposits and often contains trapped insects. It is used for jewellery, ornaments, etc
- (as modifier)an amber necklace Related adjective: succinic
fly in amber
a strange relic or reminder of the past
- a medium to dark brownish-yellow colour, often somewhat orange, similar to that of the resin
- (as adjective)an amber dress
an amber traffic light used as a warning between red and green
Word Origin for amber
C14: from Medieval Latin
ambar, from Arabic
`anbar ambergris
Scientific definitions for amber
amber
[ ăm′bər ]
A hard, translucent, brownish-yellow substance that is the fossilized resin of ancient trees. It often contains fossil insects.
A Closer Look
Certain trees, especially conifers, produce a sticky substance called resin to protect themselves against insects. Normally, it decays in oxygen through the action of bacteria. However, if the resin happens to fall into wet mud or sand containing little oxygen, it can harden and eventually fossilize, becoming the yellowish, translucent substance known as amber. If any insects or other organisms are trapped in the resin before it hardens, they can be preserved, often in exquisite detail. By studying these preserved organisms, scientists are able learn key facts about life on Earth millions of years ago.