diamond

[ dahy-muh nd, dahy-uh- ]

/ ˈdaɪ mənd, ˈdaɪ ə- /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR diamond ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a pure or nearly pure, extremely hard form of carbon, naturally crystallized in the isometric system.

a piece of this stone.

a transparent, flawless or almost flawless piece of this stone, especially when cut and polished, valued as a precious gem.

a ring or other piece of jewelry containing such a precious stone, especially an engagement ring.

a piece of this stone used in a drill or cutting tool.

a tool provided with such an uncut stone, used for cutting glass.

crystallized carbon, or a piece of it, artificially produced.

an equilateral quadrilateral, especially as placed with its diagonals vertical and horizontal; a lozenge or rhombus.

any rhombus-shaped figure or object oriented with its diagonals vertical and horizontal.

a red rhombus-shaped figure on a playing card.

a card of the suit bearing such figures.

diamonds, (used with a singular or plural verb) the suit so marked: Diamonds is trump. Diamonds are trump.

Baseball.

the space enclosed by home plate and the three bases; infield.
the entire playing field.

Printing. a 4½-point type of a size between brilliant and pearl.

adjective

made of or set with a diamond or diamonds.

having the shape of a diamond: a dress with a diamond print.

indicating the 75th, or sometimes the 60th, event of a series, as a wedding anniversary.

verb (used with object)

to adorn with or as if with diamonds.

Nearby words

diametrical, diametrically, diamide, diamine, diammonium phosphate, diamond, diamond anniversary, diamond bar, diamond bird, diamond drill, diamond dust

Idioms

diamond in the rough, a person of fine character but lacking refined manners or graces.

Origin of diamond

1275–1325; Middle English diamant < Old French < Vulgar Latin *diamant-, stem of *diamas, perhaps alteration of *adimas (> French aimant magnet, Old Provençal aziman diamond, magnet), for Latin adamas adamant, diamond

Related forms

dia·mond·like, adjective

Definition for diamonds (2 of 2)

Diamond

[ dahy-muh nd, dahy-uh- ]

/ ˈdaɪ mənd, ˈdaɪ ə- /

noun

Neil,born 1941, U.S. singer and songwriter.

Cape, a hill in Canada, in S Quebec, on the St. Lawrence River.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for diamonds

She jumped bail to Canada, with more than $1 million in cash and diamonds, and settled in Hamilton, Ontario.
Meet 'The Queen of Thieves' Marm Mandelbaum, New York City's First Mob Boss|J. North Conway|September 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“They call me Ma because I give them money and horses and diamonds,” Mandelbaum reportedly said.
Meet 'The Queen of Thieves' Marm Mandelbaum, New York City's First Mob Boss|J. North Conway|September 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The diamonds flashed fire as I turned to the mirror, and the heavy beaten gold burned like a halo about my head.
Read ‘The King in Yellow,’ the ‘True Detective’ Reference That’s the Key to the Show|Robert W. Chambers|February 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The diamonds feature people with wrapped faces and wrapped bodies while the clubs have amputated and dismembered bodies.
Aces High: Where to Buy Affordable Art|Justin Jones|February 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Covered partly by a pillow and decked out in diamonds, it comes as no surprise that Cyrus has stripped down.
Fashion Critic Cathy Horyn Leaves New York Times; Miley Cyrus Gets Naked For 'W' Magazine|The Fashion Beast Team|January 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Each nobleman received a bag of diamonds as a gift, each noble lady a rope of pearls.
The Green Forest Fairy Book|Loretta Ellen Brady
She had gold and silver and diamonds and fine clothes and good things to eat.
The Young and Field Literary Readers, Book 2|Ella Flagg Young
I have heaped gold and diamonds upon her, but she shall not have a word from you; that is one of my own treasures.
Timar's Two Worlds|Mr Jkai
I suppose she will come down presently covered with diamonds!
Little Nobody|Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller
Dorothy held her jewel-box toward me, and in the midst of the diamonds and gold I saw the heart John Manners had given her.
Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall|Charles Major

British Dictionary definitions for diamonds

diamond

/ (ˈdaɪəmənd) /

noun

a colourless exceptionally hard mineral (but often tinted yellow, orange, blue, brown, or black by impurities), found in certain igneous rocks (esp the kimberlites of South Africa). It is used as a gemstone, as an abrasive, and on the working edges of cutting tools. Composition: carbon. Formula: C. Crystal structure: cubic
(as modifier)a diamond ring Related adjective: diamantine

geometry

a figure having four sides of equal length forming two acute angles and two obtuse angles; rhombus
(modifier) rhombic

a red lozenge-shaped symbol on a playing card
a card with one or more of these symbols or (when plural) the suit of cards so marked

baseball

the whole playing field
the square formed by the four bases

(formerly) a size of printer's type approximately equal to 4 1/2 point

black diamond a figurative name for coal

rough diamond

an unpolished diamond
a person of fine character who lacks refinement and polish

verb

(tr) to decorate with or as with diamonds

Derived Forms

diamond-like, adjective

Word Origin for diamond

C13: from Old French diamant, from Medieval Latin diamas, modification of Latin adamas the hardest iron or steel, diamond; see adamant

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Science definitions for diamonds

diamond

[ dī′ə-mənd ]

A form of pure carbon that occurs naturally as a clear, cubic crystal and is the hardest of all known minerals. It often occurs as octahedrons with rounded edges and curved surfaces. Diamond forms under conditions of extreme temperature and pressure and is most commonly found in volcanic breccias and in alluvial deposits. Poorly formed diamonds are used in abrasives and in industrial cutting tools.

diamond

noun

adjective

verb (used with object)

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Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of diamond

Related forms

Definition for diamonds (2 of 2)

Diamond

noun

Examples from the Web for diamonds

British Dictionary definitions for diamonds

diamond

noun

verb

Derived Forms

Word Origin for diamond

Science definitions for diamonds

diamond