moissanite

American  

[moi-suh-nahyt, -zuh-] / ˈmɔɪ səˌnaɪt, -zə- /

noun

1. a rare, naturally occurring form of silicon carbide found in meteoric iron.

2. silicon carbide grown in a laboratory, especially as a diamond alternative.

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Etymology

Origin of moissanite

First recorded in 1900–05; Moissan ( def. ) + -ite ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

A half-carat moissanite sells for around $400 at Venvs, while a 2.25-carat stone can cost $1,500, according to the line’s other co-founder, Sam Indelicato.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 2, 2022

Grown in labs, moissanite looks more like a clear diamond and is almost as durable, she explained, but “sparkles a little bit more like a rainbow.”

From Seattle Times • Oct. 2, 2022

Haley Biemiller, co-founder of the jewelry line Venvs, which specializes in “atypical” stones including salt-and-pepper diamonds, said another style favored by the brand’s queer clients was moissanite.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 2, 2022

The 25-year-old, who is getting a doctorate in chemistry at the University of California at Berkeley, says she would prefer a lab-made diamond or moissanite, a silicon carbide gemstone that resembles a diamond.

From Washington Post • Jul. 21, 2017

Produced in a laboratory, they are chemically the same as mined diamonds, as opposed to simulated diamonds, which are usually cubic zirconia or moissanite.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 25, 2017