Crisolite

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A yellowish-green gemstone that is a type of chrysoberyl, valued for its translucent beauty and hardness
2. A variety of chrysoberyl displaying a yellow to greenish hue, prized as a semi-precious stone in jewelry
3. A golden-green mineral form of chrysoberyl, known for its durability and use as an ornamental gemstone

Etymology: The name comes from Greek "chrysolithos," built from "chrysos," meaning gold, and "lithos," meaning stone. The stone it named was not always the same one. Ancient writers applied the term to several yellowish or golden stones, and what we now call peridot, a green gemstone, was often what they meant, while the topaz of antiquity was sometimes called by the same name. The modern gem was later reassigned to the olivine stone that is still sold as peridot. The spelling "crisolite" reflects the form that passed through Old French and Latin, where the Greek "ch" was simplified to "c." English adopted it through that French route, and "chrysolite" with the Greek spelling later became the usual form, while "crisolite" survives mainly as an older variant.