हाथी-दाँत (haathii-daant)

noun A compound noun literally 'elephant-tooth,' used for ivory, the material. One straightforward sense.
Sense 1 : ivory (the material from elephant tusks)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: गजदंत (gajdant, literary)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: Ivory carving (हाथी-दाँत की नक्काशी, haathii-daant kii nakkaashii, 'ivory carving') has a long artisanal history in India, especially around Delhi and Rajasthan, though the trade is now banned to protect elephants -- so in modern conversation this word often comes up in the context of that ban or in describing old heirlooms and antiques rather than anything you'd buy new.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes try to use this word for 'tusk' itself (the protruding tooth) -- it means the material, ivory, not the tusk as a body part; for the tusk, हाथी का दाँत (haathii kaa daant) is used more literally. 2) The hyphen is often dropped in casual writing, giving हाथीदाँत (haathiidaant) -- both are seen and understood the same way.
Sample Sentences:
यह पुरानी मूर्ति असली हाथी-दाँत की बनी है। This old statue is made of real ivory.
(yah puraanii moorti aslii haathii-daant kii banii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
भारत में हाथी-दाँत का व्यापार अब कानूनन प्रतिबंधित है। The trade of ivory is now legally banned in India.
(bhaarat men haathii-daant kaa vyaapaar ab kaanoonan pratibandhit hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
मेरी दादी के पास हाथी-दाँत की एक पुरानी चूड़ी है। My grandmother has an old ivory bangle.
(merii daadii ke paas haathii-daant kii ek puraanii choodii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पुराने ज़माने में राजा-महाराजा हाथी-दाँत की नक्काशी करवाते थे। In the old days, kings used to get ivory carvings made.
(puraane zamaane men raajaa-mahaaraajaa haathii-daant kii nakkaashii karvaate the।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर हाथी-दाँत की बिक्री पर रोक न लगती, तो हाथियों की संख्या और घट जाती। If the sale of ivory hadn't been banned, the elephant population would have declined even further.
(agar haathii-daant kii bikrii par rok n lagtii, to haathiyon kii sankhyaa aur ghat jaatii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Passive
यह हार हाथी-दाँत का नहीं, बल्कि नकली सामग्री का है। This necklace is not made of ivory, but of a fake material.
(yah haar haathii-daant kaa nahiin, balki naklii saamagrii kaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हें लगता है कि यह मूर्ति सच में हाथी-दाँत की होगी? Do you think this statue is really made of ivory?
(kyaa tumhen lagtaa hai ki yah moorti sach men haathii-daant kii hogii?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
अजायबघर में हाथी-दाँत की एक नक्काशीदार पालकी रखी हुई है। In the museum, a carved ivory palanquin is on display.
(ajaayabghar men haathii-daant kii ek nakkaashiidaar paalkii rakhii huii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
सरकार ने हाथी-दाँत की तस्करी रोकने के लिए सख्त कानून बनाया। The government made a strict law to stop the smuggling of ivory.
(sarkaar ne haathii-daant kii taskrii rokne ke lie sakht kaanoon banaayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): हाथी-दाँत ([[हाथी-दाँत]])
(sg.m.oblique): हाथी-दाँत ([[हाथी-दाँत]])
(pl.m.direct): हाथी-दाँत ([[हाथी-दाँत]])
(pl.m.oblique): हाथी-दाँतों ([[हाथी-दाँतों]])