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noun Uncommon

turquoise

TUR-koyz
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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
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Word forms

Plural
turquoises
Comparative
more turquoise
Superlative
most turquoise
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

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

aqua aquamarine blue-green green-blue greenish blue turquoise blue

Related words

Rhymes for turquoise

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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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