Émeraude
/e.mə.ʁod/noun
The French word for emerald, a green variety of beryl prized as a gemstone.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from the ancient Greek smáragdos, a name for a green gemstone whose deeper origin remains uncertain, possibly reaching Greek through Near Eastern languages.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Near East
Unknown
Possible source of smaragdos
“A proposed but uncertain ancient word for a green gemstone”
Ancient Greek
Greek
σμάραγδος (smáragdos)
“Green gemstone, later identified especially with emerald”
Classical Antiquity
Latin
smaragdus
“Emerald or green precious stone”
12th–13th Century
Old French
esmeraude
“Emerald; a green gemstone”
14th Century
Middle English
emeraude
“Emerald”
Modern French
French
émeraude
“Emerald”
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