Turquoise Meaning
/ˈtɜː(ɹ).k(w)ɔɪz/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA sky-blue, greenish-blue, or greenish-gray semi-precious gemstone.
nounA pale greenish-blue colour, like that of the gemstone.
Sentence Examples
Is this real turquoise? At this price? Come on!
The turquoise colour evokes the colour of clear water, it's a light and pale blue.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
She wore a necklace with a beautiful blue-green ____ stone around her neck.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The waters of the lagoon were a beautiful and vivid ____ color that sparkled brightly in the warm morning sun today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle French turquoise, from Old French (pierre) turquoise (“Turkish (stone)”), from turc + -ois. The stone, mined near Nishapur in the Khorasan region of Persia, was originally brought to Europe through Turkey. Doublet of Turkish.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Although there are dozens of different types of gems, among the best known and most important are […] . (Common gem materials not addressed in this article include amber, amethyst, chalcedony, garnet, lazurite, malachite, opals, peridot, rhodonite, spinel, tourmaline, turquoise and zircon.)"
— 2012 March 26, Lee A. Groat, “Gemstones”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 14 Jun 2012, page 128:
"The half-dozen pieces […] were painted white and carved with festoons of flowers, birds and cupids. To display them the walls had been tinted a vivid blue which had now faded, but the carpet, which had evidently been stored and recently relaid, retained its original turquoise."
— 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 1, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She wore a necklace with a beautiful blue-green ____ stone around her neck.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The waters of the lagoon were a beautiful and vivid ____ color that sparkled brightly in the warm morning sun today.