jade

¹ American  

[jeyd] / dʒeɪd /

noun

1. either of two minerals, jadeite or nephrite, sometimes green, highly esteemed as an ornamental stone for carvings, jewelry, etc.

2. an object, as a carving, made from this material.

3. Also called jade green.  green, varying from bluish green to yellowish green.

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jade ² American  

[jeyd] / dʒeɪd /

noun

1. a worn-out, broken-down, worthless, or vicious horse.

2. a disreputable or ill-tempered woman.

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verb (used with or without object)

jaded, jading

1. to make or become dull, worn-out, or weary, as from overwork or overuse.

jade ¹ British  

/ dʒeɪd /

noun

1. 1. a semiprecious stone consisting of either jadeite or nephrite. It varies in colour from white to green and is used for making ornaments and jewellery

   2. ( as modifier )

      jade ornaments

2. 1. the green colour of jade

   2. ( as modifier )

      a jade skirt

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jade ² British  

/ dʒeɪd /

noun

1. an old overworked horse; nag; hack

2. derogatory a woman considered to be ill-tempered or disreputable

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verb

1. to exhaust or make exhausted from work or use

jade Scientific  

/ jād /

1. A hard gemstone that is pale green or white and consists either of the mineral jadeite (a pyroxene) or the mineral nephrite (an amphibole). It usually forms within metamorphic rocks.

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Other Word Forms

• jadishness
  noun
• jadelike
  adjective
• jadish
  adjective
• jadishly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of jade¹

1585–95; < French < Italian giada < obsolete Spanish ( piedra de ) ijada (stone of ) colic < Vulgar Latin *iliata, equivalent to Latin īli ( a ) flanks ( see ilium) + -ata -ate ¹; so called because supposed to cure nephritic colic

Origin of jade²

1350–1400; Middle English; of obscure origin

Explanation

Jade is a deep green gemstone that's used in jewelry and ornaments. Your most beloved possession might be an antique jade brooch that belonged to your great-grandmother. Jade is a mineral that's mined, cut, and polished to make gems, sculptures, and other art objects. You can also use the word jade to talk about the typical green color of the stone — you might describe the color of your new car, for example, as jade green. Yet another meaning of jade is "become bored or tired," along with the more common adjective, jaded, or "lacking enthusiasm."

Example Sentences

"I'm always telling her the dangers of the sea," said Jade.

From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026

To the south, work is just getting started on Project Jade, which could one day be among the biggest data centers in the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

But options to fend off the attacks Ukraine is facing right now are limited, said Jade McGlynn, Research Fellow at the Department of War Studies, King's College London.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

They were in the process of interviewing him when Jade reached out to the older man, according to authorities.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

And while I’m at it, at Gloria and Jade, too, for picking Naomi over me.

From "Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun" by Hena Khan

Related Words

• disable