turquoise
pronunciation
How to pronounce turquoise in British English:
UK [ˈtɜ:kwɔɪz]
How to pronounce turquoise in American English:
US [ˈtɜrkwɔɪz]
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- Noun:
- a blue to gray green mineral consisting of copper aluminum phosphate; blue turquoise is valued as a gemstone
- a shade of blue tinged with green
Word Origin
- turquoise
- turquoise: [14] Turquoise is etymologically the ‘Turkish’ stone. The word was borrowed from Old French turqueise, short for pierre turqueise ‘Turkish stone’. The stone was so called because it was first found in Turkestan. The present-day form of the word, which dates from the 16th century, is due to the influence of modern French turquoise. It was first used as a colour adjective in the late 16th century.
- turquoise (n.)
- greenish-blue precious stone, 1560s, from Middle French, replacing Middle English turkeis, turtogis (late 14c.), from Old French fem. adjective turqueise "Turkish," in pierre turqueise "Turkish stone," so called because it was first brought to Europe from Turkestan or some other Turkish dominion. Cognate with Spanish turquesa, Medieval Latin (lapis) turchesius, Middle Dutch turcoys, German türkis, Swedish turkos. As an adjective, 1570s. As a color name, attested from 1853. "Chemically it is a hydrated phosphate of aluminum and copper" [Flood].
Example
- 1. She liked necklaces made of turquoise , and long pendant earrings .
- 2. Dragons with wings of turquoise mauling leopards down the length of a gold scabbard .
- 3. Bathe in turquoise pools , stand behind a toppling cascade or walk across a glaring-white icecap to experience the full weirdness of icelandic
- 4. Turquoise glacial lakes , soaring glacier-clad peaks and turbulent foaming rivers all combine to make these mountains one of the most photogenic locations in north america .
- 5. So for now , the disintermediation action is mainly in europe , where turquoise is targeting trading in the top 350 stocks - and where the nyse has taken over euronext , operator of continental bourses .