What does "sable" mean?
A small carnivorous mammal of the Old World that resembles a weasel, Martes zibellina, from cold regions in Eurasia and the North Pacific islands, valued for its dark brown fur.
Sable
/ˈseɪbəl/ adj, name, noun
adj, name, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A small carnivorous mammal of the Old World that resembles a weasel, Martes zibellina, from cold regions in Eurasia and the North Pacific islands, valued for its dark brown fur.
- Grammar: sable is listed as adj, name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: ebony, martes zibellina, achievement, alerion.
- Useful contrasts: argent, non sable, pale.
- Usage evidence: One only vestige of his fate appeared. A large sable feather had been detached from his hat, and the rippling waves of the rising tide wafted it to Caleb's feet.
How to use "sable"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sable" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "sable" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "sable" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sable" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "sable" is acting as adj, name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ebony" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "sable", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A small carnivorous mammal of the Old World that resembles a weasel, Martes zibellina, from cold regions in Eurasia and the North Pacific islands, valued for its dark brown fur. countable
- 2 marten of northern Asian forests having luxuriant dark brown fur wordnet
- 3 Any other marten, especially Martes americana (syn. Mustela americana). countable
- 4 a scarf (or trimming) made of sable wordnet
- 5 A pelt of fur of a sable or of one of another species of martens; a coat made from this fur. countable, uncountable
"Lovers dallied upon divans spread with sables."
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 an artist's brush made of sable hairs wordnet
- 7 An artist's brush made from the fur of the sable, the kolinsky sable-hair brush. countable
- 8 a very dark black wordnet
- 9 A black colour on a coat of arms. countable, uncountable
- 10 the expensive dark brown fur of the marten wordnet
- 11 A dark brown colour, resembling the fur of some sables. countable, uncountable
- 12 Black garments, especially worn in mourning. countable, in-plural, uncountable
"I ſee its Sables wove by Deſtiny."
- 13 The sablefish. countable, uncountable
Adjective
- 1 Sable-coloured, black.
"When I behold the violet past prime, And sable curls all silver'd o'er with white"
- 2 In blazon, of the colour black.
- 3 Made of sable fur.
- 4 Dark, somber.
"She turned and waved a hand to him, she cried a word, but he didn't hear it, it was a lost word. A sable wraith she was in the parkland, fading away into the dolorous crypt of winter."
- 5 Dark-skinned; Black. archaic, literary
"Some of the sable females, who formerly stood aloof, now began to relax and appear less coy; but my heart was still fixed on London, where I hoped to be ere long."
Adjective
- 1 of a dark somewhat brownish black wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"One only vestige of his fate appeared. A large sable feather had been detached from his hat, and the rippling waves of the rising tide wafted it to Caleb's feet."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sable"?
Common synonyms include: ebony, martes zibellina, achievement, alerion, animal, animal charge.
How do you use "sable" in a sentence?
One only vestige of his fate appeared. A large sable feather had been detached from his hat, and the rippling waves of the rising tide wafted it to Caleb's feet.
How do you pronounce "sable"?
Pronounced /ˈseɪbəl/.
Etymology
Attested since 1275, from Middle English sable, from Old French sable and martre sable (“sable marten”), in reference to the animal or its fur; from Medieval Latin sabelum, from Middle Low German sabel (compare Middle Dutch sabel, Middle High German zobel); ultimately from a Slavic word (compare Russian со́боль (sóbolʹ), Polish soból, Czech sobol). Compare also Middle Persian smwl (*samōr).