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

Example Sentences

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

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 25, 2025

The cookbook offers helpful guides to the different varieties of herring—from New Catch to schmaltz—smoked salmon and specialty fish such as sturgeon and sable and caviar.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025

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

From Science Daily • Nov. 17, 2023

One of the ferrets is described as a sable polecat ferret, and the other is a silver ferret.

From BBC • Nov. 1, 2023

He was dressed in striped black-and-scarlet robes trimmed with sable, but the fur looked more than a little patchy and moth-eaten.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin