amber

¹

[am-ber]

noun

1. 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.

2. the yellowish-brown color of resin.

adjective

1. of the color of amber; yellowish-brown.

   amber fields of grain.

2. made of amber.

   amber earrings.

Amber

²

[am-ber]

noun

1. a first name.

amber

/ ˈæmbə /

noun

1. 1. 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

   2. ( as modifier )

      an amber necklace

2. a strange relic or reminder of the past

3. 1. a medium to dark brownish-yellow colour, often somewhat orange, similar to that of the resin

   2. ( as adjective )

      an amber dress

4. an amber traffic light used as a warning between red and green

amber

1. A hard, translucent, brownish-yellow substance that is the fossilized resin of ancient trees. It often contains fossil insects.

Other Word Forms

• amberlike adjective
• ambery adjective
• amberous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of amber¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of amber¹

C14: from Medieval Latin ambar, from Arabic `anbar ambergris

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.

Example Sentences

To mark Manchester's first ever Brit Awards ceremony, designer Matthew Williamson has created an amber resin trophy - inspired by his own Manchester roots, and the worker bee, the city's mascot.

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Multiple Met Office yellow warnings are in force for snow and ice on Wednesday, with a more severe amber warning also issued for Thursday.

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For some reason she pictured the animal wearing Judge Quinzy’s thick and distorting glasses, which made its glinting amber eyes appear larger and more menacing than they already were.

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But more severe amber alerts have been issued for North West, North East, Yorkshire and Humber for the same period.

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In parts of south-east Wales, where an amber warning is in place until the end of Friday, up to 150mm of rain - nearly 6 inches - is anticipated to fall over high ground.

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