Definition

Noun: 1. The hard, white, nut-like seed of certain South American palm trees (notably the ivory-nut palm): This seed's shell is extremely hard and can be polished to a high shine, resembling animal ivory. It has been used historically as a material for making small carved objects, such as buttons and jewelry.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Artisans in the 19th century often used vegetable ivory to craft intricate buttons.
  • The sustainability of vegetable ivory makes it an attractive alternative to elephant tusk ivory.
  • A single palm tree can produce a large quantity of vegetable ivory nuts.

Advanced Usage

• As a material term: The term is used primarily to describe the material itself, not the object made from it. One would say an item is "made from vegetable ivory" or "carved from vegetable ivory."
  • The museum displayed dice and chess pieces carved from vegetable ivory.

Variants and Related Words

• Ivory nut: A common synonym for vegetable ivory.
• Tagua nut: Another name for the seed, derived from the common name of the palm ().
• Corozo nut: A term used in some regions for the same material.
• Phytelephas: The botanical genus name for the ivory-nut palms.

Synonyms

• Ivory nut
• Tagua nut
• Corozo nut

Notes on Meaning

• Botanical vs. Commercial Meaning: Botanically, it is the seed of a palm. Commercially and in crafting, it refers to the hard, polishable material derived from that seed.
• Historical Context: Its use was most prominent before the widespread adoption of plastics, serving as an important natural plastic substitute for small, durable items.

Noun

1. nutlike seed of a South American palm; the hard white shell takes a high polish and is used for e.g. buttons