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Pronunciation

GenAm IPA: /ËˆÃ¦mbÉšÉ¡É¹Éªs/
RP IPA: /ËˆÃ¦mbÉ™É¡É¹Éªs/

Alternative forms

alternative forms

largely obsolete, uncommon after 1900: amber-gris, amber gris
obsolete, unused after 1900: ambergreece, amber-greece, amber greece; ambergrease, amber-grease, amber grease; ambergreese, amber-greese
obsolete, common from 1750 until 1820, unused after 1900: ambergrise, amber-grise, amber grise
rare, obsolete, unused after 1900: ambergreace, amber-greace, amber greace; ambergrece, amber-grece, amber grece; ambergrese, amber-grese, amber grese; ambergrice, amber-grice, amber grice; ambergriece, amber-griece, amber griece; ambergriese, amber-griese, amber griese; ambregrise; ambregris; amber de gris

Origin

Old French ambre gris ("grey amber"). Though the term was initially spaced as two words, single-word forms predominated by the 19th century. In the 17th century, folk etymologies interpreting the term as amber grease or amber of Greece enjoyed some popularity.

Mark Morton, Cupboard Love 2: A Dictionary of Culinary Curiosities

Full definition of ambergris

Noun

ambergris

(uncountable)

(uncountable) A solid, waxy, flammable substance of a dull grey or blackish color, produced in the intestines of the sperm whale. It is used in perfumes.

1851 â€” Herman_Melville, And as for the other whale, why, Iâ€™ll agree to get more oil by chopping up and trying out these three masts of ours, than heâ€™ll get from that bundle of bones; though, now that I think of it, it may contain something worth a good deal more than oil; yes, ambergris.

Synonyms

grey amber, gray amber