ENGLISH
REFERENCE

emerald

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɛmɝɹəɫd// UK //ˈɛməɹəld// emer·ald Archaic Literary

n. a bright green stone that is very valuable. It is often used in expensive jewelry like rings or necklaces.

n. a transparent, bright green variety of beryl, highly valued as a gemstone. The green color is typically caused by trace amounts of chromium or vanadium.


SIMPLE

She wore a beautiful ring with a large emerald in the center.

CONTEXTUAL

The museum's collection includes a famous crown decorated with hundreds of small emeralds and diamonds.

COMPLEX

The deep green hue of a high-quality emerald is often more prized than the clarity of a diamond, despite the natural inclusions typically found within the stone.

Origin

From emerald. The Queensland town takes its name from the emerald and other precious stone deposits in the area and from the pastoral run Emerald Downs, a name chosen circa 1860 by pastoralist Peter Fitzallan MacDonald. It is unclear if emeralds were found in or around Emerald. The given name is a modern coinage from the name of the gemstone, representing a vernacular form of Esmeralda.

Usage

Often used as a modifier before another noun (e.g., 'an emerald necklace').

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