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am·ber

(ămbər)

1. A hard, translucent, usually brownish-yellow fossil resin, used for making jewelry and other ornamental objects.

2. A brownish yellow.

adj.

1. Having the color of amber; brownish-yellow.

2. Made of or resembling amber: an amber necklace.

[Middle English ambre, from Old French, from Medieval Latin ambra, ambar, from Arabic 'anbar, ambergris, amber.]

(click for a larger image)

amber

polished amber pendant

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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