sable

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
sable1 /ˈseɪb(ə)l/

▶noun a marten with a short tail and dark brown fur, native to Japan and Siberia. [Martes zibellina.]

■ the fur of the sable.

– origin ME: from OFr., in the sense ‘sable fur’, from med. L. sabelum, of Slavic origin.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
sable2 /ˈseɪb(ə)l/

▶adjective literary or Heraldry black. ▶noun

• 1 literary or Heraldry black.

  ■ (sables) archaic mourning garments.

• 2 (also sable antelope) a large African antelope with long curved horns, the male of which has a black coat and the female a russet coat. [Hippotragus niger.]

– origin ME: from OFr. (as a heraldic term), generally taken to be identical with sable1, although sable fur is dark brown.