Tormaline
/ˈtɔːr.mə.liːn/noun
A variant spelling of tourmaline, a crystalline gemstone occurring in several colors.
Did you know?Tourmaline can become electrically charged when heated or cooled, a property that helped give the stone an aura of magical power.
Etymological Timeline
17th Century
Sinhala
tōramalli
“A name for a variety of colored gemstone or mineral, traditionally associated with Sri Lanka.”
Early 18th Century
Dutch
turmali
“A gemstone name adopted through Dutch contact with Ceylon, now Sri Lanka.”
18th Century
English
tourmaline
“The name of a mineral group brought into English through European mineral terminology.”
19th Century
English
tormaline
“An attested variant spelling of tourmaline.”
Modern English
English
tormaline
“A rare variant form referring to tourmaline, the crystalline gemstone.”
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