Smaragdite
/sməˈræɡ.daɪt/noun
A green metamorphic rock containing amphibole, often colored by green minerals.
Did you know?Smaragdite descends from the Greek word for emerald, smaragdos, showing how mineral names can carry ancient ideas of color, value, and even magical brilliance across millennia.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
smaragdos
“emerald; a bright green gemstone”
Late Latin
Latin
smaragdus
“emerald”
Old French
Old French
esmeraude
“emerald”
Middle English
English
smaragd
“emerald, a green gemstone”
19th Century
English
smaragdite
“a green mineral or rock containing amphibole, named for its emerald-like color”
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