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Glite Dictionary
sapele mahogany

sapele mahogany

9.2
A tall African tree whose light reddish-brown wood smells like cedar and is used for furniture and guitars
  • noun
  • /səˈpeɪli məˈhɑːɡəni/
  • UK
translation icon : madera de sapele
  • We imported a shipment of sapele mahogany to use in our luxury yacht interiors.

Examples

  • Guitars made from sapele mahogany are prized for their rich tone and lightweight feel.

  • The craftsman selected sapele mahogany for the cabinet because of its beautiful reddish hue.

  • The furniture is made of sapele mahogany.

  • I love the rich color of sapele mahogany.

  • The artisan crafted the chair from sapele mahogany, known for its beautiful reddish brown hue.

  • She chose sapele mahogany for the music stand because of its lightweight and pleasant aroma.

  • This cabinet is made of sapele mahogany, which is prized for its durability and rich color.

Synonyms

Entandrophragma cylindricum
vssapele mahogany
  • Specialized
9.9

An African tree with light reddish wood that smells like cedar, also called sapele

is the common trade name focusing on wood value and uses
African scented mahogany
vssapele mahogany
  • South African
8.6

A tree from Africa with lightweight, reddish-brown wood that smells like cedar

is the term that highlights lightweight wood and musical instrument use
cedar mahogany
vssapele mahogany
  • South African
8.1

An African tree with light, fragrant wood often pink to reddish brown, used for furniture

is the broader trade name used for furniture and instruments

How Hard

teak
8 4.2
oak
44 1.0
sapele mahogany
  • UK
9.2
pine
39 2.6
balsa
3 5.6

Surface Forms

sapele mahogany singular
sapele mahoganys plural

Morphology

sapele + mahogany

The head noun 'mahogany' clearly denotes a type of tropical hardwood, and the modifier 'sapele' functions as a varietal or species name specifying which kind of mahogany is meant. This noun-noun composition transparently signals 'a type/variety of mahogany' (used for furniture and instruments), so a learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Sapele mahogany comes from the town of Sapele in West Africa, where wood from this tree was often shipped. People added mahogany because the wood looks and feels like true mahogany, so the name tells you it is a rich, reddish 'mahogany' from Sapele.