tourmaline

[ toor-muh-lin, -leen ]

/ ˈtʊər mə lɪn, -ˌlin /

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noun

any of a group of silicate minerals of complex composition, containing boron, aluminum, etc., usually black but having various colored, transparent varieties used as gems.

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Also tour·ma·lin

[toor-muh-lin], /ˈtʊər mə lɪn/, tur·ma·line

[toor-muh-lin, -leen tur‐] /ˈtʊər mə lɪn, -ˌlin ˈtɜr‐/ .

Origin of tourmaline

1750–60; earlier tourmalin <German Turmalin, ultimately <Sinhalese tōramalliya “carnelian”; see -in²

OTHER WORDS FROM tourmaline

tour·ma·lin·ic

[toor-muh-lin-ik], /ˌtʊər məˈlɪn ɪk/, adjective

Words nearby tourmaline

touristic, touristry, tourist trap, touristy, tour jeté, tourmaline, Tournai, tournament, tournedos, Tourneur, tourney

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT TOURMALINE

What does tourmaline mean?

Tourmaline is a mineral that is commonly black but also has transparent, colored varieties considered gemstones, including in pink and green.

Tourmaline varies in composition and is typically categorized into three types: iron tourmaline (a black variety, also called schorl), magnesium tourmaline (a brown variety, also called dravite), and alkali tourmaline.

As a gemstone, tourmaline is classified as semiprecious, a label given to gemstones that are not as valuable as those considered precious. Tourmaline is generally inexpensive due to its abundance, but certain varieties are more expensive, such as those from Paraiba, Brazil, which are valued for their color saturation.

Tourmaline is one of the birthstones for the month of October. It is associated with the zodiac signs Libra and Scorpio. It is also the gem designated for an eighth wedding anniversary.

Tourmaline has the ability to become electrically charged when heated and is also used in electrical equipment.

Tourmaline can also be spelled tourmalin and turmaline.

Example: Many people mistake the red tourmaline stone in my ring for a ruby.

Where does tourmaline come from?

The first records of the word tourmaline come from the late 1700s. It ultimately comes from the Sinhalese word tōramalliya, meaning “carnelian” (another type of gemstone).

Tourmaline is a silicate mineral that occurs in igneous and metamorphic rocks, especially in pegmatites. They often grow in environments that are rich in liquids. There are many different elements that can appear in tourmaline that affect the color of the stone, including lithium, sodium, iron, and magnesium.

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What are some other forms related to tourmaline?

tourmalin (alternate spelling)
turmaline (alternate spelling)
tourmalinic (adjective)

What are some synonyms for tourmaline?

What are some words that often get used in discussing tourmaline?

How is tourmaline used in real life?

Tourmaline is perhaps best known as one of the birthstones for October.

As a tourmaline enthusiast, I am happy to see black triangle (perpendicular) and tabular (parallel to c axis) tourmaline crystals in leucogranite which is cut by a greenish tourmaline vein. Note a graphic texture of intergrown quartz and K-feldspar in the right #Delamerian pic.twitter.com/5jBFh6wj5t

— Wei Hong (@WeiHong86) March 5, 2021

umm so..my black tourmaline stone broke,, out of nowhere,,

— bhav🐝☁️ (@urqueersagy) September 10, 2021

but rly he gave me such a great day, woke me up with cake and balloons in the morning and then took me on a cruise for dinner in the evening, he gave me some small gifts and a necklace with my favourite birthstone tourmaline on it, all in all i had an amazing birthday 🥺💓

— Mikan 🍊 (@mikantheorange) October 8, 2020

Try using tourmaline!

True or False?

Tourmaline can be electrically charged.

How to use tourmaline in a sentence

The upgraded design features double the tourmaline ceramic technology to tackle frizz and add extra shine to your waves.
Best curling iron: Hair styling tools to create the curls you seek no matter your hair type|Irena Collaku|August 12, 2021|Popular-Science
Though regular ionic dryers aren’t going to do you much good, tourmaline naturally creates negatively charged ions and subsequent heat.
The best hair dryer: Get a salon-worthy blowout at home|Carsen Joenk|January 22, 2021|Popular-Science
A reddish granitic stone, composed of quartz, felspar, and tourmaline.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]|Phillip Parker King
It is true, others before him had noted that substances like tourmaline possessed electrical properties.
Catholic Churchmen in Science|James J. Walsh

He showed that the electricity of tourmaline decreases rapidly from the summits or poles toward the middle of the crystal.
Catholic Churchmen in Science|James J. Walsh
Of these minerals, beryl, garnet and tourmaline are the most abundant.
The Wonder Book of Knowledge|Various
The locket was made of tourmaline, which has mysterious properties.
The Laughing Mill and Other Stories|Julian Hawthorne

British Dictionary definitions for tourmaline

tourmaline

/ (ˈtʊəməˌliːn) /

noun

any of a group of hard glassy minerals of variable colour consisting of complex borosilicates of aluminium with quantities of lithium, sodium, calcium, potassium, iron, and magnesium in hexagonal crystalline form: used in optical and electrical equipment and in jewellery

Derived forms of tourmaline

tourmalinic (ˌtʊəməˈlɪnɪk), adjective

Word Origin for tourmaline

C18: from German Turmalin, from Sinhalese toramalli carnelian

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

Scientific definitions for tourmaline

tourmaline

[ tur′mə-lĭn, -lēn′ ]

Any of several minerals having the general chemical formula (Na,Ca)(Mg,Fe,Al,Li)3Al6(BO3)3Si6O18(OH)4. Tourmaline occurs in many different translucent colors, usually in crystals shaped like 3-, 6-, or 9-sided prisms. It occurs in igneous and metamorphic rocks, especially in pegmatites.