LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neuterthird declension

ebur

ebur n (genitive eboris)
Classical[ˈɛ.bʊr]Ecclesiastical[ˈɛː.bur]

Meaning

  1. neuterivory (material)
  2. neutera thing made of ivory.
  3. figurativelyneuteran elephant

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

māteria candida ex dente ingentī
ebur -oris (n) — in Metamorphoses I, ch. 5, 8, 9
dēns elephantī
ebur -oris (n) — in Aeneis, ch. 16

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeeburebora
genitiveeboriseborum
dativeeborīeboribus
accusativeeburebora
ablativeeboreeboribus
vocativeeburebora

ĕbur, ŏris (cf. Quint. 1, 6, 22 sq.), n. Copt. ebu; cf. Sanscr. ibhas, elephant; whence Gr. ἐλέφας, Semit. article el being prefixed,
I. ivory.
I. Prop., Cic. Leg. 2, 18; id. Brut. 73 fin.; id. Par. 1, 3; Quint. 2, 21, 9; Verg. G. 1, 57; id. A. 10, 137; 12, 68; Hor. C. 1, 31, 6; id. Ep. 2, 1, 96 et saep.—Prov.: ebur atramento candefacere, v. atramentum.—
II. Meton.
A. Things made of ivory. So of statues, Verg. G. 1, 480; Ov. M. 15, 792; of the tibia, Verg. G. 2, 193; of a scabbard, Ov. M. 4, 148; of the sella curulis, Hor. Ep. 1, 6, 54; Ov. F. 5, 51; id. Pont. 4, 5, 18.—*
B. An elephant, Juv. 12, 112.

Origins

  1. Proto-Afroasiatic*leb-
  2. Egyptianꜣbw
  3. Demotic Egyptianybbor.?
  4. Latinebur

Loan word, probably from Demotic Egyptian yb (“ivory, Elephantine”), from Egyptian Ab-b-w-E26 (ꜣbw, “ivory, elephant, Elephantine”). Compare Coptic ⲓⲏⲃ (iēb, “Elephantine”); also note Sanskrit इभ (ibha) and Tigre ኣቦት (ʾabot). In any case, probably cognate with the second half of Ancient Greek ἐλέφας (eléphas, “elephant”)

In English words that came into English from ebur

  • ivoryeboreus
  • eburnationeburnus
  • eburnateeburnus
  • eburnitiseburnus
  • eburnificationeburnus

Quick answers

What does ebur mean in Latin?
ebur, a noun, means “ivory (material); a thing made of ivory.; an elephant”.
What is the genitive of ebur?
The genitive singular is eboris. ebur is neuter, third declension.
How do you pronounce ebur?
In classical Latin, [ˈɛ.bʊr]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈɛː.bur].
Where does ebur come from?
Proto-Afroasiatic *leb- → Egyptian ꜣbw → Demotic Egyptian ybbor.? → Latin ebur.
Which English words come from ebur?
English words that go back to Latin ebur include ivory, eburnation, eburnate, eburnitis and eburnification.