azabache

Spanish

Etymology

From Andalusian Arabic السبج (as-sabáj), from Arabic سَبَج (sabaj, “jet, obsidian”), from Middle Persian špk' (/⁠šabag⁠/, “jet, obsidian”), from šp (/⁠šab⁠/, “night”), from Old Persian 𐎧𐏁𐎱 (x-š-p /⁠xšapa⁠/).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Spain) /aθaˈbat͡ʃe/ [a.θaˈβ̞a.t͡ʃe]
• IPA^(key): (Latin America, Philippines) /asaˈbat͡ʃe/ [a.saˈβ̞a.t͡ʃe]

• Audio (Spain):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -atʃe
• Syllabification: a‧za‧ba‧che

Noun

azabache m (plural azabaches)

1. jet (a form of compact, glistening coal, often used in jewelry)
2. jet (the color of jet coal)
   • azabache:  

Adjective

azabache m or f (masculine and feminine plural azabaches)

1. of a jet color (of a very dark color)

Further reading

• “azabache”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10