Aquamarine

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Pronunciation: /ˌæk.wə.məˈɹiːn/

Definitions

1. A transparent or translucent blue-green gemstone, or the pale blue-green color resembling the sea
2. A variety of gemstone characterized by its sea-like blue-green hue, which is also the name of the light blue color associated with the ocean's waters
3. This term refers to both a precious stone known for its clarity and a pale blue-green color reminiscent of tropical waters

Etymology: Aquamarine has the rare distinction of being a gem named after the sea, and the name's first half is simply the Latin word for water. The Latin phrase "aqua marina" meant "sea water," built from "aqua" (water) and the adjective "marina," formed from "mare" (sea). The same "mare" root gives English "marine," so the two words are close cousins that took different routes into the language. The stone took its name from that colour. Its pale blue-green shade was thought to resemble seawater, and the Latin phrase was applied to it as a descriptive label. Over time the phrase was shortened and anglicised into a single word, and the name stuck to the gem and then to the colour itself, which is why the word now works both as a noun for the mineral and as an adjective for that hue.

Synonyms: blue-green, cyan