aquamarine

Where does the word "aquamarine" come from? It comes from Latin aqua marina, and was adopted directly into English (1590s).

Aquamarine’s story begins in Latin: aqua marina meant “sea water.” Sea water, from aqua (water) and marinus (of the sea). It reached English by 1590s as aquamarine. Settled as the English word for the pale blue-green gemstone resembling sea water. Today, aquamarine means a pale blue-green precious stone, a variety of beryl.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient aqua marina "sea water", sea water, from aqua (water) and marinus (of the sea).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1590s aquamarine "a pale blue-green gemstone", settled as the English word for the pale blue-green gemstone resembling sea water.