emerald means of a rich green colour. It carries an Arena rating of 1484, earned across 2 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, emerald ranks #1,378 of 17,052 for Most Vivid Words, #2,883 of 17,052 for Most Beautiful Words, #6,344 of 17,052 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #7,312 of 17,052 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words.
emerald is pronounced /ˈɛm.(ə.)ɹəld/.
Why “emerald” is a great word
A precious gemstone, specifically a green transparent variety of beryl colored by chromium or vanadium. From Middle English *emeraude*, from Old French *esmeraude*, from Vulgar Latin *smaralda*, from Latin *smaragdus*, from Ancient Greek σμάραγδος (*smáragdos*), ultimately from a Semitic source (compare Hebrew בָּרֶקֶת (*bāréqeṯ*, 'emerald, flashing gem'), from a root meaning 'to flash' or 'sparkle'). Unlike "jade," which denotes either nephrite or jadeite and is typically opaque, or "peridot," a distinct variety of olivine characteristically yellowish-green, emerald is a specific, transparent beryl prized for its pure, rich green hue. It is the color of deep forest pools seen from above, of certain insect wings held to sunlight, of the particular shade that seems to glow from within rather than merely reflect—a flash of ancient earth, polished into permanence.
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).
adj
- Of a rich green colour.e.g.“The insect-queen of eastern spring, / O'er emerald meadows of Kashmeer / Invites the young pursuer near, / And leads him on from flower to flower / A weary chase and wasted hour.”
name
- A town in Queensland, Australia.
- A town in the Shire of Cardinia and the Shire of Yarra Ranges, central Victoria, Australia
- A rural municipality in eastern Saskatchewan, Canada; in full, the Rural Municipality of Emerald No. 277.
- A female given name from English.
noun
- 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.e.g.“16. As the first. Crest, on a Mount Emerald, a Falcon rising Topaz.”
- 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.
verb
- To ornament with, or as if with, emeralds; to make green.
Words closest in meaning
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