emerald

Where does the word "emerald" come from? It comes from Greek smaragdos, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Emerald’s story begins in Greek: smaragdos meant “a green gemstone.” The name for the vivid green precious stone. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as esmeralde. Carried through Latin into French gemstone vocabulary. It reached English by 1300s as emerald. Settled as the English word for the vivid green gemstone. Today, emerald means a vivid green precious gemstone, a variety of beryl.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient smaragdos "a green gemstone", the name for the vivid green precious stone.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval esmeralde "a vivid green precious gemstone", carried through Latin into French gemstone vocabulary.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s emerald "a vivid green precious gemstone", settled as the English word for the vivid green gemstone.