aquamarine

American  

[ak-wuh-muh-reen, ah-kwuh-] / ˌæk wə məˈrin, ˌɑ kwə- /

noun

1. a transparent, light-blue or greenish-blue variety of beryl, used as a gem.

2. light blue-green or greenish blue.

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aquamarine British  

/ ˌækwəməˈriːn /

noun

1. a pale greenish-blue transparent variety of beryl used as a gemstone

2. 1. a pale blue to greenish-blue colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      an aquamarine dress

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Usage

What does aquamarine mean? Aquamarine is a light-blue or greenish-blue transparent gemstone. It is a variety of the mineral beryl. The color of aquamarine can resemble pale blue or blue-green sea water—which is what gives it its name. The word aquamarine is also used to refer to such a color, as in The beautiful aquamarine dress stood out among the other muted tones. Aquamarine is considered a semiprecious gemstone, which is a label applied to a class of gems that have a commercial value that’s less than that of stones labeled precious, such as diamonds. Aquamarine is one of the birthstones for the month of March, the other being bloodstone. It is associated with the zodiac sign Pisces. Example: My girlfriend bought me a beautiful aquamarine ring as a way to remember our time snorkeling in the aquamarine waters of the Caribbean.

Etymology

Origin of aquamarine

First recorded in 1590–1600, aquamarine is from Latin aqua marīna “sea water” (named from its color). See aqua, marine

Explanation

Aquamarine is a blue-green color that can be described as a light teal. It's also the name of a gemstone, one of the birth stones for people were born in March. The aquamarine mineral, which looks like a pale green-blue crystal, got its name in the 16th century from the Latin aqua marina, or "sea water." It wasn't until the 1840s that aquamarine was used to describe the color itself. If you love the shade that evokes ocean water, somewhere between green and blue, you can paint your bedroom walls aquamarine, knit a sweater in aquamarine, or buy yourself some aquamarine jewelry.

Example Sentences

At Western Australia’s Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, set beside the Indian Ocean’s aquamarine waters, the nightly rate starts at around $520 per person.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 10, 2025

Hualien County on Taiwan’s east coast is a scenic, sleepy tourist area tucked away from the island’s urban centers, with a famous gorge and aquamarine waters.

From New York Times • Apr. 3, 2024

He was surrounded by a swarm of supporters in aquamarine T-shirts reading “I’m-migrant.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2024

And that is not even her breeding plumage, when her eyes turn aquamarine, with matching stipples around the edges, and the inside of her mouth turns cobalt blue.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 21, 2024

She had never known that ice could take on so many shades of blue: sharp lines of indigo like the deepest sea, aquamarine shadows, even the glint of blue-green where the sun struck just so.

From "Huntress" by Malinda Lo

Related Words

• blue-green
• olive