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Where does the word "jade" come from? It comes from Spanish piedra de ijada, and was adopted directly into English (1700s).
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Where does the word "jade" come from? It comes from Spanish piedra de ijada, and was adopted directly into English (1700s).
Jade’s story begins in Spanish: piedra de ijada meant “stone of the loin, kidney stone.” Literally stone of the flank, believed to cure kidney pain when held to the side. It reached English by 1700s as jade. Shortened and settled as the English word for the green ornamental stone. Today, jade means a hard, typically green stone used for ornaments and jewelry.
- Stage 1 · Spanish · 1500s piedra de ijada "stone of the loin, kidney stone", literally stone of the flank, believed to cure kidney pain when held to the side.
- Stage 2 · English · 1700s jade "a hard green ornamental stone", shortened and settled as the English word for the green ornamental stone.