sable

¹

[ sey-buhl ]

noun

, plural sa·bles, sa·ble.

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.

adjective

1. of the heraldic color sable.
2. made of the fur or hair of the sable.
3. very dark; black.

Sable

²

[ sey-buhl ]

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.

Sable

¹

/ 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

sable

²

/ ˈseɪbəl /

noun

1. a marten, Martes zibellina, of N Asian forests, with dark brown luxuriant fur zibeline
2. 1. the highly valued fur of this animal
   2. ( as modifier )

      a sable coat

3. American sable
   American sable 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

adjective

1. of the colour of sable fur
2. black; dark; gloomy
3. usually postpositive heraldry of the colour black

Word History and Origins

Origin of sable¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of sable¹

C15: from Old French, from Old High German zobel, of Slavic origin; related to Russian sobol', Polish sobol

Example Sentences

From Jones’s perspective, the same thinking could be applied to Sable’s horses.

From Popular-Science

The charming story follows a young woman, the titular Sable, as she begins a rite of passage that sets her out to explore the world on her own.

From Time

I consigned a pink 1950s full-skirted dress I wore to my engagement party, a K-letter sweater, a pair of men’s 1970s Lilly Pulitzer pants and a sable boa to a vintage store.

From Washington Post

These pictures are “diaristic,” Sable recently told a gallery visitor.

From Washington Post

Wreaking havoc is one of Sable’s evident impulses, but maintaining balance is clearly just as important.

From Washington Post

Salmon, tuna, sturgeon, mussels, oysters, and sable are marinated and smoked using hickory and alder wood.

From The Daily Beast

Other dark choices include Jet, Bruno, Bear, Sable, Midnight, Inky, and Ebony.

From The Daily Beast

Car les Sauvages ayans encore de la reverence aux sepultures de leurs peres & amis, le vouloient porter au Cap de Sable 40.

From Project Gutenberg

There were in Greece two young rakes, who were told by the oracle to beware of the melampygos or sable posteriors.

From Project Gutenberg

Carry's tongue was unloosed as she bounded into the midst of the sable throng that swarmed about the carriage.

From Project Gutenberg

It was on such a night that a great black hulk moved like a sable monster through the waters off the coast of Cuba.

From Project Gutenberg

His mind did not run to the comprehension of the fact that he was the wearer of borrowed plumes—the sable plumes of King Death.

From Project Gutenberg