jasper

noun

jas·per ˈja-spər

: an opaque cryptocrystalline quartz of any of several colors

especially : green chalcedony

: colored stoneware with raised white decoration

: a blackish green

jaspery

ˈja-spə-rē

adjective

Examples of jasper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Some of the precious stones found here include garnet, jasper, quartz, amethyst and agate, as well as diamonds in three colors: yellow, brown and white. —

Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Sep. 2023 The delicate intaglios, fashioned from amethyst, jasper and carnelian, range in diameter from 5 millimeters to 16 millimeters — bigger than a pencil eraser, smaller than a dime. —

Franz Lidz, New York Times, 1 May 2023 Smaller than a dime, the 36 gems are made of materials like amethyst, carnelian, and jasper. —

Tori Latham, Robb Report, 4 May 2023 Two glowing glass blobs (named Rock Lights) clung to chunks of minerals — white, fragmented selenite and dark green jasper — tucked into a former fireplace. —

Ella Riley-Adams, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2023 In the new brand images and videos, Ice Spice wears the Seamless Sculpt High Neck Thong Bodysuit in the color bronze and PinkPantheress wears the Seamless Sculpt High Waist Catsuit in the color jasper (charcoal gray). —

Starr Bowenbank, Billboard, 24 Apr. 2023 Red jasper is believed to have healing properties. —

San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2022 More than 30 gems—including amethyst, jasper and carnelian—have been found so far during excavations at the site. —

Molly Enking, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Feb. 2023 Chakra practitioners believe that a red stone, such as jasper, can help with increasing confidence, overcoming fear and achieving stability. —

Christina Sturdivant Sani, Washington Post, 24 Jan. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jasper.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler

The first known use of jasper was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century