emerald Meaning & Definition
What Does Emerald Mean?
Emerald is used as a noun meaning Any of various green gemstones, especially a green transparent form of beryl, highly valued as a precious stone. It is also used to mean Emerald green, a colour. As a verb, it means To ornament with, or as if with, emeralds; to make green. As an adjective, it means Of a rich green colour.
Quick Facts About Emerald
| Part of speech | noun, verb, adjective |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //ˈɛm.(ə.)ɹəld// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | smaragd and minionette |
| Plural | emeralds |
| Comparative / superlative | more emerald, most emerald |
| Verb forms | emeralds, emeralding, emeralded |
Emerald Definition (Noun)
- Any of various green gemstones, especially a green transparent form of beryl, highly valued as a precious stone.
- Emerald green, a colour.
- Any hummingbird in the genera Chlorostilbon and Elvira; and some in the genus Amazilia
- A size of type between nonpareil and minion, standardized as 6½-point.
Emerald as a Verb
- To ornament with, or as if with, emeralds; to make green.
Emerald as an Adjective
- Of a rich green colour.
Synonyms of Emerald
Emerald synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Emerald
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
Emerald in a Sentence
No example sentences are available for this entry.
Word Forms & Grammar
emerald (countable and uncountable, plural emeralds)
emerald (comparative more emerald, superlative most emerald)
emerald (third-person singular simple present emeralds, present participle emeralding, simple past and past participle emeralded)
Origin of Emerald
Origin 1: 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”):
Origin 2: and loanwords with Semitic etymon such as Sanskrit मरकत (marakata).
Pronouncing Emerald
The standard pronunciation of emerald is //ˈɛm.(ə.)ɹəld//, spoken in 1 syllable.
Frequently Asked Questions About Emerald
Is emerald a noun or a verb?
Emerald is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb and an adjective.
What is another word for emerald?
Close synonyms of emerald are smaragd and minionette. See the full list of emerald synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of emerald?
The plural of emerald is emeralds.
What is the past tense of emerald?
The past tense of emerald is emeralded. The present participle is emeralding.
What are the comparative and superlative forms of emerald?
The comparative form is more emerald and the superlative form is most emerald.