beryl

[ ber-uh l ]
/ ˈbɛr əl /

noun

a mineral, beryllium aluminum silicate, Be3Al2Si6O18, usually green, but also blue, rose, white, and golden, and both opaque and transparent, the latter variety including the gems emerald and aquamarine: the principal ore of beryllium.

Origin of beryl

1275–1325; Middle English beril (< Anglo-French) < Late Latin bērillus, Latin bēryllus < Greek bḗryllos

OTHER WORDS FROM beryl

ber·yl·ine [ber-uh-lin, -lahyn] /ˈbɛr ə lɪn, -ˌlaɪn/, adjective

Definition for beryl (2 of 2)

Beryl
[ ber-il ]
/ ˈbɛr ɪl /

noun

a female given name.

Example sentences from the Web for beryl

British Dictionary definitions for beryl

beryl
/ (ˈbɛrɪl) /

noun

a white, blue, yellow, green, or pink mineral, found in coarse granites and igneous rocks. It is a source of beryllium and is sometimes used as a gemstone; the green variety is emerald, the blue is aquamarine. Composition: beryllium aluminium silicate. Formula: Be 3 Al 2 Si 6 O 18 . Crystal structure: hexagonal

Derived forms of beryl

beryline, adjective

Word Origin for beryl

C13: from Old French, from Latin bēryllus, from Greek bērullos, of Indic origin

Scientific definitions for beryl

beryl
[ bĕrəl ]

A usually green or bluish-green hexagonal mineral occurring as transparent to translucent prisms in igneous and metamorphic rocks. Transparent varieties, such as emeralds and aquamarine, are valued as gems. Beryl is the main source of the element beryllium. Chemical formula: Be3Al2Si6O18.