English · Word Candidate

amber

/ˈæm.bəː/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: ambers

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A hard, generally yellow to brown translucent or transparent fossil resin from extinct coniferous trees of the pine genus, used for jewellery, decoration and later dissolved as a binder in varnishes. One variety, blue amber, appears blue rather than yellow under direct sunlight.

Noun

Examples

With scarfs and fans and double change of bravery, With amber bracelets, beads, and all this knavery.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A yellow-orange colour.

Noun

Examples

And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

Of a brownish yellow colour, like that of most amber.

Adjective

Examples

They all moved safely through the first green and then the second, but when the third light turned amber Jack's taxi was the last to cross the intersection.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “amber” mean?

Is “amber” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.