ivoryi‧vo‧ry /ˈaɪvəri/ ●○○ noun (plural ivories) 
Word Origin
an ivory chess set2[uncountable] a yellowish-white colour: an ivory silk wedding gown3[countable often plural] something made of ivory, especially a small figure of a person or animal: a collection of ivories
Word OriginWORD ORIGINivory
ExamplesOrigin:
1200-1300 Old French ivoire, from Latin ebor, from Egyptian ab ‘elephant, ivory’EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
word sets- Another example of an imported good with a widespread distribution is ivory, which normally occurs as rings.
- Departmental barriers and ivory tower attitudes are detrimental to good results.
- I argued in Chapter 5 that the image of the ivory tower in no way describes the contemporary position of higher education.
- It is the stuff of ivory towers and only clever boys and girls are expected to reflect upon its themes.
- She tucked her ivory satin shirt tighter into the waistband of her fawn moleskin trousers.
- The ivory toothbrush is 3/4 of an inch long.
- The city suits and ivory silk dinner jackets she gave to Franky.
- Walrus tusks were essentially substitutes for ivory in territories remote from supplies of elephant tusks.
WORD SETS► Colours
Collocationsamber, nounamethyst, nounapricot, nounaquamarine, nounashen, adjectiveauburn, adjectiveazure, adjectivebar, nounbarred, adjectivebeige, nounblack, adjectiveblack, nounblack, verbblack and white, adjectiveblacken, verbbleed, verbblood-red, adjectiveblue, adjectiveblue, nounbluish, adjectivebold, adjectivebottle green, nounbrassy, adjectivebrindled, adjectivebronze, nounbronze, adjectivebrown, adjectivebrown, nounbuff, nounburgundy, nouncarmine, nouncarroty, adjectivecerise, nouncerulean, nounchartreuse, nouncherry, nounchestnut, nounchestnut, adjectivechromatic, adjectivechrome yellow, nounclaret, nounclear, adjectivecoffee, nouncool, adjectivecopper, nouncoral, adjectivecream, adjectivecreamy, adjectivecrimson, adjectivecyan, adjectivedappled, adjectivedapple-grey, nounDay-Glo, adjectivediscoloration, noundiscolour, verbdrab, adjectivedull, adjectivedun, noundusky, adjectivedye, verbebony, adjectivefawn, adjectiveflaxen, adjectiveflesh-coloured, adjectiveflorid, adjectivefluorescent, adjectiveflush, nounfuchsia, noungarish, adjectivegarnet, noungaudy, adjectivegay, adjectiveginger, adjectivegold, noungold, adjectivegolden, adjectivegray, green, adjectivegreen, noungreenish, adjectivegrey, adjectivegrey, noungreyish, adjectivehazel, adjectiveindigo, nouniridescent, adjectiveivory, nounjade, nounjet-black, adjectivekhaki, nounlavender, nounleaden, adjectivelemon, nounlilac, nounlily-white, adjectivelime green, nounlivid, adjectiveloud, adjectiveluminous, adjectivelurid, adjectivemagenta, nounmagnolia, nounmahogany, nounmaroon, nounmatch, nounmauve, nounmellow, adjectivemellow, verbmonochrome, adjectivemousy, adjectivemuddy, adjectivemulticoloured, adjectivemustard, nounmuted, adjectivenavy blue, adjectiveneutral, adjectiveochre, nounoff-white, nounolive, nounopalescent, adjectiveorange, nounpale, adjectivepastel, nounpastel, adjectivepeach, nounpea green, nounpearly, adjectivepepper-and-salt, adjectivepink, adjectivepink, nounpinkish, adjectiveplum, nounplum, adjectivepowder blue, nounprimary colour, nounprimrose, nounprismatic, adjectivepuce, adjectivepure, adjectivepurple, nounpurplish, adjectivered, adjectivered, nounredden, verbreddish, adjectiveredhead, nounrestrained, adjectiverich, adjectiverose, nounrose, adjectiveroseate, adjectiverose-coloured, adjectiverosy, adjectiveroyal blue, nounruby, nounruddy, adjectiverusset, nounsable, adjectivesaffron, nounscarlet, adjectivesepia, nounshade, nounshocking pink, nounsienna, nounsilver, nounsilver, adjectivesilvery, adjectivesky-blue, adjectivesnow-white, adjectivesnowy, adjectivesoft, adjectivesombre, adjectivesteely, adjectivetaupe, nountawny, adjectiveteal, nountint, nountint, verbtone, nounturquoise, nountwo-tone, adjectiveultramarine, nounumber, nounvermilion, nounvibrant, adjectiveviolet, nounwarm, adjectivewaxen, adjectiveweak, adjectivewhite, adjectivewhite, nounwhiten, verbwhitish, adjectiveyellow, adjectiveyellow, nounyellow, verbyellowy, adjective
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN► tower
1[uncountable] the hard smooth yellowish-white substance from the tusks (=long teeth) of an elephant: · It is the stuff of ivory towers and only clever boys and girls are expected to reflect upon its themes.· For real life, visit Moila, the island of the ivory tower.· I argued in Chapter 5 that the image of the ivory tower in no way describes the contemporary position of higher education.· Now to return to my dusty library at the top of the ivory tower.· Departmental barriers and ivory tower attitudes are detrimental to good results.· Fog had slipped through a crack into the ivory tower.· For heaven's sake, you've been breathing the rarefied air of the ivory tower for as long as I can remember.
► trade· Both countries are being bled dry by the poachers who supply the ivory trade.· They have suffered wholesale slaughter for the sake of the ivory trade.· There has been widespread corruption in the ivory trade.
VERB► make· Most of the seals were nevertheless made of bone, ivory, steatite, banded agate, or orange carnelian.· The looking-glass and candlesticks are made of ivory.· The dressing table set is made of ivory and there are bottles of hair wash and rose water.
► use· Bone decor was used instead of ivory.
an ivory chess set2[uncountable] a yellowish-white colour: an ivory silk wedding gown3[countable often plural] something made of ivory, especially a small figure of a person or animal: a collection of ivories