Ebony is a dense black hardwood, most commonly yielded by several different species in the genus Diospyros, which also contains the persimmons.Ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely-textured and has a very smooth finish when polished, making it valuable as an ornamental wood. The word ebony comes from the Ancient Egyptian hbny, through the Ancient Greek ἔβενος (ébenos …