Alexandrite
/əˈlɛk.sənˌdraɪt/noun
A rare variety of chrysoberyl that appears green in daylight and reddish or purplish under incandescent light.
Did you know?Alexandrite was discovered in the Russian Urals in 1830 and reportedly chosen for its name because its colors echoed Imperial Russia’s green and red national symbolism.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Ἀλέξανδρος (Alexandros)
“Defender or protector of men; from alexein, “to ward off,” plus anēr, “man.””
Classical Greek
Greek
ἀλέξειν (alexein)
“To ward off, protect, or defend.”
Classical Greek
Greek
ἀνήρ (anēr), genitive ἀνδρός (andros)
“Man; the source of the -ander element in Alexander.”
1830
Russian
Александрит (aleksandrit)
“The newly recognized color-changing variety of chrysoberyl, named in honor of Alexander II of Russia.”
19th Century
French
alexandrite
“A gemological name for the green-to-red color-changing chrysoberyl variety.”
Modern English
English
alexandrite
“A rare color-change gemstone, especially prized for its green daylight and red artificial-light appearance.”