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noun Uncommon

turquoise

TUR-koyz

Turquoise (noun) means a blue-green semi-precious gemstone. Example: “She wore a silver ring set with turquoise.”

noun
1
A blue-green semi-precious gemstone.
"She wore a silver ring set with turquoise."
adj
1
Having a pale, greenish-blue colour like the gemstone.
"The pool water looked turquoise in the sunlight."
"She painted the bathroom a soft turquoise."

How to use turquoise

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA blue-green colour or gemstone, named after Turkey even though the stone itself comes from Persia.

Easily confused with
Common pairings
turquoise water turquoise jewellery shade of turquoise

Word forms

more turquoise comparative, turquoises plural, most turquoise superlative

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She wore a silver ring set with _____.

Etymology

From Old French pierre turquoise, "Turkish stone" — the gem reached Europe via Turkish traders even though it was actually mined in Persia.

Origin: Old French

blue-green green-blue greenish blue turquoise blue

Related words

Rhymes for turquoise

See all rhymes for turquoise →

Frequently asked questions

What does “turquoise” mean?

The word “turquoise” means a blue-green semi-precious gemstone. In plain terms, a blue-green colour or gemstone, named after Turkey even though the stone itself comes from Persia.

How do you pronounce “turquoise”?

“Turquoise” is pronounced TUR-koyz (/ˈtɝ.k(w)ɔɪz/ in IPA).

How do you use “turquoise” in a sentence?

Here is “turquoise” used in a sentence: “She wore a silver ring set with turquoise.”

What is another word for “turquoise”?

Words with a similar meaning to “turquoise” include blue-green, green-blue, greenish blue and turquoise blue.

What part of speech is “turquoise”?

Depending on how it is used, “turquoise” can be a noun and an adjective.

Where does the word “turquoise” come from?

The word “turquoise” comes from Old French. From Old French pierre turquoise, "Turkish stone" — the gem reached Europe via Turkish traders even though it was actually mined in Persia.

Is “turquoise” a common word?

“Turquoise” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “turquoise” have?

“Turquoise” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a blue-green semi-precious gemstone.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial