jade

¹ American  

[jeyd] / dʒeɪd /

noun

1. either of two minerals, jadeite or nephrite, sometimes green, highly esteemed as an ornamental stone for carvings, jewelry, etc.

2. an object, as a carving, made from this material.

3. Also called jade green.  green, varying from bluish green to yellowish green.

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jade ² American  

[jeyd] / dʒeɪd /

noun

1. a worn-out, broken-down, worthless, or vicious horse.

2. a disreputable or ill-tempered woman.

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verb (used with or without object)

jaded, jading

1. to make or become dull, worn-out, or weary, as from overwork or overuse.

jade ¹ British  

/ dʒeɪd /

noun

1. an old overworked horse; nag; hack

2. derogatory a woman considered to be ill-tempered or disreputable

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verb

1. to exhaust or make exhausted from work or use

jade ² British  

/ dʒeɪd /

noun

1. 1. a semiprecious stone consisting of either jadeite or nephrite. It varies in colour from white to green and is used for making ornaments and jewellery

   2. ( as modifier )

      jade ornaments

2. 1. the green colour of jade

   2. ( as modifier )

      a jade skirt

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jade Scientific  

/ jād /

1. A hard gemstone that is pale green or white and consists either of the mineral jadeite (a pyroxene) or the mineral nephrite (an amphibole). It usually forms within metamorphic rocks.

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Other Word Forms

• jadelike
  adjective
• jadish
  adjective
• jadishly
  adverb
• jadishness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of jade¹

1585–95; < French < Italian giada < obsolete Spanish ( piedra de ) ijada (stone of ) colic < Vulgar Latin *iliata, equivalent to Latin īli ( a ) flanks ( see ilium) + -ata -ate ¹; so called because supposed to cure nephritic colic

Origin of jade²

1350–1400; Middle English; of obscure origin

Explanation

Jade is a deep green gemstone that's used in jewelry and ornaments. Your most beloved possession might be an antique jade brooch that belonged to your great-grandmother. Jade is a mineral that's mined, cut, and polished to make gems, sculptures, and other art objects. You can also use the word jade to talk about the typical green color of the stone — you might describe the color of your new car, for example, as jade green. Yet another meaning of jade is "become bored or tired," along with the more common adjective, jaded, or "lacking enthusiasm."

Example Sentences

But options to fend off the attacks Ukraine is facing right now are limited, said Jade McGlynn, Research Fellow at the Department of War Studies, King's College London.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

Jade Chang is the author of the novel “What a Time to Be Alive.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

Ventura police believed Jade and her team were part of a larger international fraud network and coordinated the meet-up.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

Jade, Faye’s assistant, has invited a rival author, Abby Schuss, to spice up a real-life plot that Jade can use in a novel she’s secretly planning.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

Titus, Denny, Jade, and Pua are already hanging out.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

Related Words

• disable