Definition of EMERALD

emerald

Meanings

Plural: emeralds

Noun

  • a green transparent form of beryl; highly valued as a gemstone
  • a transparent piece of emerald that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem
  • the green color of an emerald
  • Any of various green gemstones, especially a green transparent form of beryl, highly valued as a precious stone.
  • Emerald green, a colour.
  • Vert, when blazoning by precious stones.
  • Any hummingbird in the genera Chlorostilbon and Elvira; and some in the genus Amazilia
  • Any of various species of dragonfly of the family Corduliidae.
  • 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.

Origin / Etymology

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) and Persian زمرد (zomorrod) (whence Turkish zümrüt and Russian изумру́д (izumrúd)).

Synonyms

minionette, smaragd

Scrabble Score: 10

emerald is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
emerald is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
emerald is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 12

emerald is a valid Words With Friends word