emerald

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) Any of various green gemstones, especially a green transparent form of beryl, highly valued as a precious stone.
2. (countable, uncountable) Emerald green, a colour.
3. (countable, uncountable) Vert, when blazoning by precious stones.
4. (countable, uncountable) Any hummingbird in the genera Chlorostilbon and Elvira; and some in the genus Amazilia
5. (countable, uncountable) Any of various species of dragonfly of the family Corduliidae.
6. (UK, countable, dated, uncountable) A size of type between nonpareil and minion, standardized as 6½-point.

Adj

Of a rich green colour.

Verb

To ornament with, or as if with, emeralds; to make green.

Synonyms

beryl

jade

sapphire

emerald green

green

jadeite

jasper

malachite

namely

pearl

ruby

smaragd

oriental sapphire

green jade

true jade

coral

🪸

diamond

Translations

émeraude

smeraldo

Smaragd

esmeralda

esmeralda

maragda

smaragd

σμαράγδι

zümrüt

زمرد

smaragdgrün

smaragdgroen

verde smeraldo

Smaragdgrün

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɛm.(ə.)ɹəld/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: emeraude

Cognate with Hebrew: בָּרֶקֶת

Cognate with Akkadian: 𒁀𒊏𒄣

Cognate with Arabic: بَرْق

Cognate with Ancient Egyptian: bwyrqꜣ

Cognate with Sanskrit: मरकत

Cognate with Persian: زمرد

Cognate with Turkish: zümrüt

Cognate with Russian: изумру́д

In summary

From Middle English emeraude, borrowed from Old French esmeraude, from Vulgar Latin *smaralda, *smaraldus, *smaraudus, variant of Latin smaragdus, from Ancient Greek σμάραγδος (smáragdos), μάραγδος (máragdos), from a Semitic language. Compare Hebrew בָּרֶקֶת (bāréqeṯ, “emerald, flashing gem”), Akkadian 𒁀𒊏𒄣 (baraqu, literally “scintillation”), Arabic بَرْق (barq, literally “flashing”), Egyptian bwyrqꜣ (literally “to sparkle”):D58-Z7-Z4:D21-N29-Z1-G1-D6 and loanwords with Semitic etymon such as Sanskrit मरकत (marakata).