a green transparent form of beryl; highly valued as a gemstone
"The emerald in her engagement ring sparkled brilliantly under the sunlight."
a transparent piece of emerald that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem
"She wore a necklace featuring a stunning emerald around her neck."
the green color of an emerald
"The deep emerald hue of her dress matched the leaves outside perfectly."
Any of various green gemstones, especially a green transparent form of beryl, highly valued as a precious stone.
"The emerald caught the light in the jewelry box, revealing its deep, vivid green sparkle."
In plain English: An emerald is a precious green gemstone made of beryl that people often use to make jewelry.
"She wore an elegant emerald necklace to the formal dinner."
Usage: Use "emerald" primarily when referring specifically to the deep green variety of the mineral beryl rather than any generic green gemstone. Avoid using it interchangeably with other colored stones like jade or peridot unless precise geological distinction is required.
To ornament with, or as if with, emeralds; to make green.
"The ancient scribe carefully emeraldized the manuscript's margins by painting them in vivid green ink."
In plain English: To emerald is to become as green and bright as an emerald gemstone, though this usage is very rare since people almost always use it only for the stone itself.
"The emerald caught the light and sparkled brightly on her finger."
Of a rich green colour.
"The emerald eyes of the cat caught the sunlight in the garden."
A town in Queensland, Australia.
"The emerald is a small mining town located in central Queensland, Australia."
The word emerald comes from the Latin smaragdus and the Ancient Greek smáragdos. It originally referred to the green gemstone, likely borrowing its name from a Semitic language.