Esmeril
/ˌɛs.məˈrɪl/noun
A coarse abrasive used for grinding or polishing, especially emery.
Did you know?Esmeril ultimately comes from Greek smiris, the name for an abrasive stone, showing how the language of grinding and polishing was carried across the Mediterranean by traders and craftsmen.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
smíris / smíris
“A hard abrasive stone used for polishing and grinding”
Medieval Greek
Greek
smirídi
“An abrasive powder or stone”
Arabic
Arabic
al-sumrīl / esmeril
“A polishing or grinding abrasive”
Old Spanish
Spanish
esmeril
“Emery; a gritty abrasive used for polishing”
Modern English
English
esmeril
“A coarse abrasive material, especially emery”