jasper

noun

jas·​per ˈja-spər 

1

: an opaque cryptocrystalline quartz of any of several colors

especially : green chalcedony

2

: colored stoneware with raised white decoration

3

: a blackish green

jaspery

ˈja-spə-rē 

adjective

Examples of jasper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And if a mother kept a piece of jasper on hand throughout her child’s infancy, they would both be protected from malign spirits of the air and from the tongue of the ancient serpent that was hell‑bent on ensnaring newborns. —Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026

Meanwhile, the casing is made of a sublime 100% jasper cotton, and the overall effect is simply cloudlike and restorative. —Gretta Monahan, Boston Herald, 18 Jan. 2026

The family has since named the cat Charlie Jasper Moonstone—a nod to Charlie Chaplin, red jasper, and the harvest moon, which happened the same day, the woman wrote in the caption. —Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025

Often paired with colorful stone handles in jasper, marble, and rose quartz, her forms are equally delicate, thanks to the thinness of the metal. —Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 22 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English jaspre, from Anglo-French jaspre, jaspe, from Latin jaspis, from Greek iaspis, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew yāshĕpheh jasper

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for jasper

• caspar
• clasper
• gasper

Kids Definition

jasper

noun

jas·​per ˈjas-pər 

: an opaque mineral that occurs in several colors and is used for making ornamental objects (as vases)

especially : green chalcedony

jaspery

-pə-rē 

adjective