emerald

1 of 2

noun

em·​er·​ald ˈe-mə-rəld 

ˈem-rəld

1

: a rich green variety of beryl prized as a gemstone

2

: any of various green gemstones (such as synthetic corundum or demantoid)

emerald

2 of 2

adjective

: brightly or richly green

Did you know?

Highly valued as gemstones, emeralds are a grass-green variety of beryl. The capacity of emeralds to deflect light and to break white light into its component colors is not high, so cut stones display little brilliancy or fire (flashes of color). The color that gives this gem its value comes from the presence of small amounts of chromium. The most important production of fine-quality gem material is Colombia; emeralds are also mined in Russia, Australia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Synthetic emeralds are identical to natural crystals and may rival them in color and beauty.

Examples of emerald in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Sparkle bright in stunning studs from round and emerald to heart and princess-cut stones in a variety of sizes set in 14-karat white gold four-prong baskets. — ABC News, 7 Nov. 2026

Machine Gun Kelly, meanwhile, wore an emerald-green satin bomber jacket over a bright yellow hoodie, with loose gray sweatpants, a black beanie, and a red bandana pulled across his face. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 7 Nov. 2026

Adjective

Other restaurants include Coda, another bar swathed in emerald-green hues inspired by records, and Istana, an ode to Malaysian cuisine. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 3 Nov. 2026

At the bottom is the emerald-green pool, providing guests with welcome respite from the heat. — Julia Wytrazek, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English emerallde, from Anglo-French esmeralde, from Vulgar Latin *smaralda, from Latin smaragdus, from Greek smaragdos — more at smaragd

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1508, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing emerald

• emerald ash borer
• emerald cut
• emerald green

Kids Definition

emerald

1 of 2 noun

em·​er·​ald ˈem-(ə-)rəld 

: a rich green gem

emerald

2 of 2 adjective

: brightly or richly green