beryl

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English beryl, from Old French beril, from Latin bērillus, bēryllus, from Ancient Greek βήρυλλος (bḗrullos, “beryl”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛɹ.əl/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛɹəl

Noun

beryl (countable and uncountable, plural beryls)

1. (uncountable, mineralogy) A mineral of pegmatite deposits, often used as a gemstone (molecular formula Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈).
   • 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The Fête”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 57:

     The sunset had been magnificent, and the Thames was floating in dark radiance; the waves wearing that transparent clearness, which gives more the idea of melted beryl, than aught else: every little circle in the water had that trembling light which characterises precious stones.

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

     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.

2. (countable) An example (a stone) of the mineral beryl.

   The crown was set with six beryls of excellent size and color.

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ezekiel 1:16:

     The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl […]

   • 1922, E[ric] R[ücker] Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros‎, London: Jonathan Cape, page 5:

     His buskins were laced with gold, and from his belt hung a sword, narrow of blade and keen, the hilt rough with beryls and black diamonds.

3. (uncountable) A dull blueish green color.

   beryl:  

Adjective

beryl (not comparable)

1. Of a dull bluish green colour.

Related terms

• chrysoprase
• brilliant

See also

• aquamarine
• emerald
• heliodor
• Madagascar aquamarine
• morganite

Anagrams

• Byler

Noun

beryl

1. Soft mutation of peryl.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbɛrɪl]
• Rhymes: -ɛrɪl

Noun

beryl m inan

1. beryl

Further reading

• “beryl”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “beryl”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989

Noun

beryl c (singular definite beryllen, plural indefinite beryller)

1. beryl (the mineral and examples of the mineral)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /beːril/
• Hyphenation: be‧ryl
• Rhymes: -il

Noun

beryl n (uncountable)

1. Superseded spelling of beril.

Noun

beryl m (plural beryllen)

1. Superseded spelling of beril.

Alternative forms

• beril, berill, berille
• beralle, berel, berell, berelle, berylle, birall, birell, birrall, brill, burel, burell, byrall, byralle, byrell, byryl (Late Middle English)

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French beril, from Latin bērillus, bēryllus (“beryl”), from Ancient Greek βήρυλλος (bḗrullos).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɛˈriːl/, /bɛˈril/, /ˈbɛril/

Noun

beryl

1. beryl (gemstone of pegmatite)
2. (figuratively, rare) Jesus or the Virgin Mary.