emerald

noun em·er·ald \ ˈem-rəld , ˈe-mə- \

Updated on: 12 May 2018

Definition of emerald

1 : a rich green variety of beryl prized as a gemstone

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

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Recent Examples of emerald from the Web

Livia’s accessorized with emerald jewelry and a golden clutch.

— Vogue, "Met Gala 2018 Live Blog: Katy Perry Walks the Red Carpet in Six-Foot Wings," 7 May 2018
The next day the ferry picks its way through a maze of emerald islands called the Shumagins.

— mike coppock, USA TODAY, "Aleutian run: Island-hopping on an Alaskan ferry," 17 Apr. 2018
The Movement in Service to the Sanctity of the Prophet, formed several years ago, has caught fire across Pakistan, its emerald banners rippling from rooftops and taxis.

— pamela constable, Washington Post, "Christians come under threat in Pakistan: ‘No one accused of blasphemy is ever safe’," 16 Mar. 2018
Their pale, pinkish clay offsets the denser hues of emerald, siena and ocher in the paintings, and their bent and folded planes, wedges and lobes rhyme with the geometries on paper.

— leah ollman, latimes.com, "For Nathan Hayden at CB1 Gallery, the smaller the canvas, the bigger the effect," 13 Mar. 2018
They would be quickly forgotten, even by those whose lives the Philadelphia pilot might have saved alongside Forest Hills’ emerald lawns on that long-ago Labor Day.

— frank fitzpatrick, Philly.com, "Bill Tilden and the fateful day that launched a legend | Frank's Place," 2 Mar. 2018
At Century Girl, the shoplifter took a 14-karat gold lion ring with emerald eyes and two vintage silver rings from the 1920s, one with an aquamarine stone and another with a synthetic sapphire, Blake said.

— michelle hunter, NOLA.com, "Watch shoplifter steal jewelry from Century Girl in New Orleans," 14 Jan. 2018
Rose, emerald, and asscher-cut stones work best for your diamond alternative.

— Southern Living, "Diamond (Alternatives) Are A Girl's Best Friend," 19 Apr. 2018
The new Alchemy collection focuses on four cuts—emerald, marquise, pear, and round—and how each speaks to and of a specific personality.

— leah melby clinton, Town & Country, "When Jewelry Means Family," 9 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'emerald.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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.

Origin and Etymology of emerald

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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