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• emery
  emery

  noun

  a granular mineral substance consisting typically of corundum mixed with magnetite or hematite, used powdered, crushed, or consolidated for grinding and polishing.
• Emery
  Emery

  noun

  a male or female given name.

emery

¹ American  

[em-uh-ree, em-ree] / ˈɛm ə ri, ˈɛm ri /

noun

1. a granular mineral substance consisting typically of corundum mixed with magnetite or hematite, used powdered, crushed, or consolidated for grinding and polishing.

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Emery ² American  

[em-uh-ree, em-ree] / ˈɛm ə ri, ˈɛm ri /

noun

1. a male or female given name.

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emery British  

/ ˈɛmərɪ /

noun

1. 1. a hard greyish-black mineral consisting of corundum with either magnetite or haematite: used as an abrasive and polishing agent, esp as a coating on paper, cloth, etc. Formula: Al 2 O 3

   2. ( as modifier )

      emery paper

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Etymology

Origin of emery

1475–85; < Middle French emeri, Old French esmeril < Vulgar Latin *smēriculum, equivalent to Medieval Greek smêri (for Greek smýris rubbing powder; akin to smear ) + Latin -culum -cule ²

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

emery Emery

Should you want to polish metal, you’d do well to work with emery cloth.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 28, 2023

Any imperfections, any divots or ridges, must be judiciously smoothed, and a climber’s equipment includes pumice stones, sandpaper and emery boards.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2021

Rule 3.01 says no player shall intentionally discolor or damage the ball by rubbing it with soil, rosin, paraffin, licorice, sand paper, emery paper or other foreign substance.

From Washington Times ● Mar. 5, 2020

The first emery deposits in America were discovered there.

From The New Yorker ● Sep. 17, 2018

Flossie clicked on the radio to soft dance music, then opened the glove compartment to find an emery board for filing down her nails.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

For 17-year-old ice cream man Emery, from Gloucester, the heat is "good for money and for the business".

From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026

That battle was won by Emery - but those clashes left scars.

From BBC ● May 29, 2026

So Kroenke’s next hire, Unai Emery, was almost doomed from the start.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

Villa boss Unai Emery, who called Guardiola football's "only genius" in the build-up to the game, presented his fellow Spaniard with a memento before the match began.

From BBC ● May 24, 2026

I start to object—I even think of trying to find Emery.

From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman