aquamarine

American  

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

noun

aquamarines plural

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.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• aquamarines
  plural

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

See Examples For:

aquamarine aquamarines

Now, those taxpayer millions are peeling off and floating away in ragged, aquamarine chunks.

From Slate ● Jun. 19, 2026

A short ride brought me to South Pointe Park and to its pier jutting 450 feet into the aquamarine Atlantic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2025

The area, known for a famous gorge and aquamarine waters, sits on several active faults.

From New York Times ● Apr. 3, 2024

To sell the distinction, animators crowned Ember with flickering spikes of flame-red hair while Wade sports an ever-gurgling aquamarine pompadour.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 15, 2023

That little attic bursting with magenta and aquamarine and gold for five minutes, and then the radio switches off, and the gray rushes back in, and her uncle stumps back down the stairs.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

Once again taking coastal Florida as a setting, the director makes the most of his glow-stick palette, filled with fiery yellows and aquamarines.

From New York Times ● May 9, 2024

The crown glitters with stones including tourmalines, white and yellow topazes, rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnet, peridot, zircons, spinel and aquamarines.

From Seattle Times ● May 5, 2023

Beneath them lay a platinum armature to which were affixed 400 additional carats of stones — turquoise cabochon, faceted diamonds, aquamarines all contrived to imitate the effect of sunlight refracted through water.

From New York Times ● Apr. 15, 2015

Those who are tired of his aquiline can tell it to the aquamarines.

From Time Magazine Archive

The aquamarines near the shoreline, the azures of deeper waters, the eggshell blues beneath by grandmother’s eyes, the fragile indigos tracking her hands.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García

Related Words

• blue-green
• olive