blood diamond

American  

[bluhd dahy-muhnd, dahy-uh-] / ˈblʌd ˌdaɪ mənd, ˌdaɪ ə- /

noun

1. a diamond that is sold, often on the black market, to finance armed conflict in the region of origin.

   Many buyers are now refusing to purchase blood diamonds for ethical reasons.

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Etymology

Origin of blood diamond

First recorded in 1995–2000

Example Sentences

So, yes, it doesn’t go too far to say: Beyoncé is wearing a blood diamond.

From Washington Post • Aug. 26, 2021

Mmmm, kinda like this: supporting a restaurant with a tainted chef is like celebrating your engagement with a blood diamond...

From New York Times • Jan. 2, 2018

My mom has used every synonym for tacky in the book, and friends have asked if I know whether or not it’s a blood diamond.

From Slate • Jul. 25, 2017

Kerry praised Yao's work and called ivory "today's blood diamond" — a lucrative trade for international criminals with wide-ranging consequences for nature and local populations.

From US News • Jul. 9, 2014

The west African state of Sierra Leone has taken another symbolic step away from its wartime image as the home of the "blood diamond".

From BBC • May 21, 2012