A tropical hardwood tree (Aspidosperma) found in South America, or the valuable timber produced from it.
From Portuguese embuia, derived from a Tupi or indigenous Brazilian language. The word entered European languages through Portuguese colonial trade.
Embuia wood is so prized for instruments and furniture that wild trees are threatened—it's a reminder that beautiful natural resources that took centuries to grow can disappear in decades through overcutting.
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