emerald

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈɛm.(ə.)ɹəld/^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English emeraude, later emeralde,^{[2][3][4][5][6]} borrowed from Old French esmeraude, emeraude,^[2][3][4][6] from Medieval Latin esmaraldus, esmeralda,^[2][3][4][5] an alteration of Latin smaragdus,^{[2][3][4][5][6]} from Ancient Greek σμάραγδος (smáragdos, “green gem”),^{[2][3][4][5][6]} ultimately from a Semitic word meaning “to shine, flash” (compare Hebrew bāreqet “emerald”, Arabic barq “lightning”).^[4][7] The spelling with -ld probably reflects Italian or Spanish influence in the 16th century.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

A precious stone of bright green colour (c. 1300 in the OED and Etymonline; probably before 1300 in Barnhart).^[8][4][3]

Semantic evolution

In early examples the word, like most names of precious stones, is vague in meaning, and does not necessarily refer to a green stone;^[4][7] medieval references often depend on classical descriptions of the smaragdus, whose identity with the modern emerald is doubtful.^[4] In modern use the word is restricted to a green variety of beryl.^[8][2][5] The colour sense, “emerald green”, dates from 1712,^[8] and the adjective from 1508.^[5] The Emerald Isle, for Ireland, from its green landscape, dates from 1795.^[4][7] The word also names a size of printing type and several green hummingbirds.^[8][9][1]

Timeline

• c. 1300 – emeraude, a green precious stone.^[8][4]
• 1413 – emeralde.^[3]
• 1508 – adjective, bright green.^[5]
• 1712 – the colour emerald green.^[8]
• 1795 – Emerald Isle.^[4][7]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A brilliant green, transparent variety of beryl, coloured by chromium and valued as a gemstone.
2. Any of various other green gemstones.
3. A strong, bright yellowish green; emerald green.
4. Any of several small, bright green hummingbirds.

Adjective

1. Of a rich, bright green colour.

Word family

• emerald cut
• emerald green
• Emerald Isle
• Brazilian emerald
• Uralian emerald

Related words

• smaragd
• smaragdine
• beryl

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
3. ^ a b c d e f g Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d e f g Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ a b c d e Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b c d Cresswell, Julia (2021), Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
8. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
9. ^ Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House