sable

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See also: sablé and Sable

English[edit]

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Alternative forms[edit]

  • sa., s. (in heraldic contexts)

Etymology[edit]

Attested since 1275, from Middle English, from Old French sable and martre sable (“sable martin”), 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 Balto-Slavic word (compare Russian со́боль (sóbolʹ), Polish soból, Czech sobol). Compare also Middle Persian smwl (*samōr).

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

A sable (Martes zibellina)

sable (countable and uncountable, plural sables)

  1. (countable) 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 (Wikipedia).
  2. (countable) The marten, especially Martes americana (syn. Mustela americana).
  3. (countable and uncountable) The fur or pelt of the sable or other species of martens; a coat made from this fur.
  4. (countable) An artist's brush made from the fur of the sable (Wikipedia).
  5. (heraldry) A black colour on a coat of arms.
  6. (countable and uncountable) A black colour, resembling the fur of some sables.
    sable colour:    
  7. (in the plural, sables) Black garments, especially worn in mourning.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Young
      Sables wove by destiny.
    • 1907, Robert William Chambers, chapter I, in The Younger Set (Project Gutenberg; EBook #14852), New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, published 1 February 2005 (Project Gutenberg version), OCLC 24962326:
      […] a delighted shout from the children swung him toward the door again. His sister, Mrs. Gerard, stood there in carriage gown and sables, radiant with surprise. ¶ "Phil!  You!  Exactly like you, Philip, to come strolling in from the antipodes—dear fellow!" recovering from the fraternal embrace and holding both lapels of his coat in her gloved hands.

Derived terms[edit]

Terms derived from sable

Related terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

Adjective[edit]

sable (comparative more sable, superlative most sable)

  1. Of the black colour sable.
  2. (heraldry): In blazon, of the colour black.
  3. Made of sable fur.
  4. Dark, somber.
    • 1922, Michael Arlen, “3/2/1”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days[1]:
      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.

Translations[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  • Random House Dictionary, 2nd Edition, 1987.

Anagrams[edit]

Asturian[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From French sable and this from Late Latin sablum, from Latin sabulum, alternative form of sabulō. Compare sablera. Compare Italian sabbia, Occitan sabla.

Noun[edit]

sable m (plural sables)

  1. sand

Etymology 2[edit]

From Spanish sable and this from French sabre, from German Säbel, from Hungarian szablya, cognate with Danish sabel, Russian са́бля (sáblja), Polish szabla, Serbo-Croatian сабља.

Alternative forms[edit]

Noun[edit]

sable m (plural sables)

  1. saber
  2. edge of a scythe

Basque[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Noun[edit]

sable

  1. sabre, saber

Catalan[edit]

Noun[edit]

sable m (plural sables)

  1. (heraldry) sable

French[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Old French, from Vulgar Latin or Late Latin sablum, contraction of Latin sabulum, alternative form of sabulō. Compare sablon, which was used more often in Old French. Compare Italian sabbia, Occitan sabla.

Noun[edit]

sable m (plural sables)

  1. sand
Derived terms[edit]
Derived terms

Etymology 2[edit]

From Old French martre sable (“sable marten”), an animal. From Middle Low German sabel (compare Middle Dutch sabel, Middle High German zobel); ultimately from a Balto-Slavic word (compare Russian со́боль (sóbolʹ), Polish soból, Czech sobol). Compare also Persian سمور‏ (samur).

Noun[edit]

sable m (plural sables)

  1. (heraldry) The heraldic colour sable; black.

Etymology 3[edit]

From sabler

Verb[edit]

sable

  1. first-person singular present indicative of sabler
  2. third-person singular present indicative of sabler
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of sabler
  4. third-person singular present subjunctive of sabler
  5. second-person singular imperative of sabler

Anagrams[edit]

Further reading[edit]

Old French[edit]

Noun[edit]

sable m (oblique plural sables, nominative singular sables, nominative plural sable)

  1. sable (fur of a sable)

Portuguese[edit]

Adjective[edit]

sable m, f (plural sables, comparable)

  1. (heraldry) sable (of black colour on a coat of arms)

Synonyms[edit]

Noun[edit]

sable m (uncountable)

  1. (heraldry) sable (the black colour on coats of arms)

Synonyms[edit]

Spanish[edit]

Adjective[edit]

sable (plural sables)

  1. (heraldry) sable

Noun[edit]

sable m (plural sables)

  1. saber, cutlass
  2. (fencing) saber

Derived terms[edit]

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