amber

英 ['æmbə] 美 ['æmbɚ]
  • adj. 琥珀色的；琥珀制的
  • n. 琥珀；琥珀色
  • vt. 使呈琥珀色
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星级词汇:
amber
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助记提示

1. 该词最初是从阿拉伯语中表示龙涎香这种物质的名词 anbar 音译过去的(音译过程中发生了音变)，表示相同的物质；但是后来的另一种物质及琥珀可能是颜色具有一定的相似性或者其它原因，于是也用这个单词表示琥珀这种物质，这种混用就就造成了混淆，后来为了进行区别就根据颜色的细微差别分别叫做 gray amber 和 yellow amber, 但amber的的主要含义开始偏向于琥珀，进入英语后amber就表示琥珀之意，而另一种物质龙涎香就根据gray的法语写法gris, 将其合在一起构成一个新的单词ambergris，然后它就表示龙涎香了。

中文词源

amber 琥珀

来自阿拉伯语，龙涎香。传入欧洲，指琥珀。为使表述更明确，则用短语amber jaune. jaune, 同jaundice, 黄疸。

英文词源

amber
amber: [14] Amber was borrowed, via Old French, from Arabic ‘anbar, which originally meant ‘ambergris’ (and in fact until the early 18th century amber was used for ‘ambergris’ too). A perceived resemblance between the two substances had already led in Arabic to ‘amber’ ousting ‘ambergris’ as the main meaning of ‘anbar, and this was reflected as soon as English acquired it.

In Scotland until as recently as the early 19th century lamber was the usual form. This arose from borrowing the French word for ‘amber’ complete with its definite article le: l’ambre. Before the introduction of the Arabic term into European languages, the ancestor of modern English glass appears to have been the word used for ‘amber’.
=> ambergris
amber (n.)
mid-14c., "ambergris, perfume made from ambergris," from Old French ambre, from Medieval Latin ambar "ambergris," from Arabic 'anbar "ambergris." In Europe, the sense was extended, inexplicably, to fossil resins from the Baltic (late 13c. in Anglo-Latin; c. 1400 in English), which has become the main sense as the use of ambergris has waned. This formerly was known as white or yellow amber to distinguish it from ambergris, which word entered English early 15c. from French, which distinguished the two substances as ambre gris and amber jaune. The classical word for Baltic amber was electrum (compare electric).

双语例句

1. The tea was darkly amber, the way he liked it.
茶呈暗琥珀色，正是他希望的样子。

来自柯林斯例句

2. Cars did not stop when the lights were on amber.
交通灯变成橙黄色时，汽车没有停下来。

来自柯林斯例句

3. The traffic lights were on amber.
交通信号黄灯亮了。

来自《权威词典》

4. Would you like an amber necklace for your birthday?
你过生日想要一条琥珀项链 吗 ?

来自《简明英汉词典》

5. You should stop at an amber light.
遇到黄灯你应该停下来.

来自《简明英汉词典》