sable

¹ American  

[sey-buhl] / ˈseɪ bəl /

noun

plural

sables, sable

1. an Old World weasellike mammal, Mustela zibellina, of cold regions in Eurasia and the North Pacific Islands, valued for its dark brown fur.

2. a marten, especially Mustela americana.

3. the fur of the sable.

4. the color black, often being one of the heraldic colors.

5. sables, mourning garments.

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adjective

1. of the heraldic color sable.

2. made of the fur or hair of the sable.

3. very dark; black.

Sable ² American  

[sey-buhl] / ˈseɪ bəl /

noun

1. Cape Sable,

   1. a cape on a small island at the southwestern tip of Nova Scotia, Canada: known for its lighthouse.

   2. a cape at the southern tip of Florida.

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sable ¹ British  

/ ˈseɪbəl /

noun

1. a marten, Martes zibellina, of N Asian forests, with dark brown luxuriant fur

2. 1. the highly valued fur of this animal

   2. ( as modifier )

      a sable coat

3. the brown, slightly less valuable fur of the American marten, Martes americana

4. the colour of sable fur: a dark brown to yellowish-brown colour

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adjective

1. of the colour of sable fur

2. black; dark; gloomy

3. (usually postpositive) heraldry of the colour black

Sable ² British  

/ ˈseɪbəl /

noun

1. a cape at the S tip of Florida: the southernmost point of continental US

2. the southernmost point of Nova Scotia, Canada

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Etymology

Origin of sable

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English sable, saibel, sabil(le) “a sable, pelt of a sable; (the color) black,” from Old French sable, saibile “a sable, sable fur” ( Medieval Latin sabel(l)um “sable fur”), from Middle Low German sabel (compare late Old High German zobel ), from Slavic or Baltic; compare Russian sóbol', Polish soból, Czech sobol, Lithuanian sàbalas; further origin uncertain

Explanation

Sable is a fluffy little animal known for its silky dark brown fur. It’s native to Japan, Siberia, and other parts of northern Asia. You may meet up with a sable in a zoo or as somebody's expensive coat. Sable is a kind of marten — the same family as skunks, wolverines, and minks. The scientific name is Martes zibellina. The word sable, from Russian, likely came into Western European languages in the Middle Ages, when trappers traveled far and wide in search of furry creatures whose skins were worthy to warm the backs of emperors, kings, queens, and Byzantine priests. Sable can also mean "dark black," or it can refer to the hairs of an artist's paintbrush.

Example Sentences

“How beautiful she is in her shining raiment,” he rhapsodizes, “her birch-bark body, her sable bodice, her white cravat, her goffered ruff.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

In contrast, some parts of the tarantula feel almost like sable fur.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 25, 2025

Traditional brushes are made with animal hair from squirrels, goats or sable, a species of weasel.

From BBC • Nov. 22, 2024

The four largest herbivores wearing GPS collars -- nyala, kudu, sable and elephant -- had no fatalities.

From Science Daily • Nov. 17, 2023

Behind him, he heard the soft metallic slither of the lordling's ringmail, the rustle of leaves, and muttered curses as reaching branches grabbed at his longsword and tugged on his splendid sable cloak.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin