ébéniste

The French equivalent of a cabinetmaker (as distinct from a joiner).

Until the Revolution, the French guild system enforced strict specialisation in craft trades. An ébéniste specialised in veneered furniture; the name is derived from the French word for ebony, which was used in the earliest veneered furniture. A menuisier, on the other hand, specialised in carved items such as chairs and beds, using plain wood.