Beryls

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A mineral composed of beryllium aluminum cyclosilicate, often used as a gemstone, valuable for its variety of colors and clarity
2. Being a key component in different varieties such as emerald and aquamarine, prized for their beauty
3. Referring to the various forms of this mineral, which can be cut into gemstones or used in industrial applications

Etymology: The gemstone's name travelled a long way before reaching English. Its earliest traceable form is the Pali "veḷuriya" or Prakrit "verulia" in India, and the most likely explanation is that it comes from a Dravidian source, probably named after Velur, the place now called Belur in southern India. Ancient Greeks took the word as "bḗrullos," and Romans wrote it as "bērillus" or "bēryllus," which passed into Old French as "beril." Middle English then adopted it as "beryl," and the word reached English as the name of a mineral family rather than a single gem. "Beryls" is simply the plural, used when referring to several of these stones.

Synonyms: gems, precious stones, crystals