emerald

What it means

1. countableuncountableAny of various green gemstones, especially a green transparent form of beryl, highly valued as a precious stone.

   Although there are dozens of different types of gems, among the best known and most important are diamond, ruby and sapphire, emerald and other gem forms of the mineral beryl, chrysoberyl, tanzanite, tsavorite, topaz and jade.

   2012 March 28, Lee A. Groat, “Gemstones”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 14 Jun 2012, page 128

   Synonyms: smaragd

2. countableuncountableEmerald green, a colour.
3. countableuncountablegovernmentVert, when blazoning by precious stones.

   16. As the first. Crest, on a Mount Emerald, a Falcon rising Topaz.

   1726, John Guillim, The Banner Display'd, page 504

   2 more examples

   Crest. On a Wreath, a demi Dragon, Emerald, armed and langued, Roby [...] Supporters. Two Dragons reguardant, Emerald, [...]

   1754, John Lodge, The Peerage of Ireland; Or, a Genealogical History of the ..., page 212

   Some of the lagoons, said to have subterranean outlets, have no visible ones; the inclosing island, in such cases, being a complete zone of emerald.

   1847 March 30, Herman Melville, Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas; […], London: John Murray, […], →OCLC

In a sentence

Although there are dozens of different types of gems, among the best known and most important are diamond, ruby and sapphire, emerald and other gem forms of the mineral beryl, chrysoberyl, tanzanite, tsavorite, topaz and jade.

2012 March 28, Lee A. Groat, “Gemstones”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 14 Jun 2012, page 128

Where it comes from

1. Ancient Greekσμάραγδος (smáragdos)
2. Latinsmaragdus
3. Vulgar Latin*smaralda
4. Old Frenchesmeraude
5. Middle Englishemeraude
6. Englishemerald

From Middle English emeraude, borrowed from Old French esmeraude, from Vulgar Latin *smaralda, *smaraldus, *smaraudus, variant of Latin smaragdus, from Ancient Greek σμάραγδος (smáragdos), μάραγδος (máragdos), from a Semitic language. Compare Hebrew בָּרֶקֶת (bāréqeṯ, “emerald, flashing gem”), Akkadian 𒁀𒊏𒄣 (baraqu, literally “scintillation”), Arabic بَرْق (barq, literally “flashing”), Egyptian bwyrqꜣ (literally “to sparkle”):D58-Z7-Z4:D21-N29-Z1-G1-D6 and loanwords with Semitic etymon such as Sanskrit मरकत (marakata).