false topaz

8.8

A yellow stone that looks like topaz but is not true topaz

noun
/fɔls ˈtoʊpæz/

: topacio falso

Collectors should be careful not to confuse false topaz with genuine topaz.

Examples

The ring was set with a false topaz that gleamed in the sunlight.
Many jewelers sell false topazes as cheaper alternatives.
He inherited a pendant made of false topaz from his grandmother.
She bought a beautiful false topaz necklace.
Collectors should be careful not to confuse false topaz with genuine topaz.
The ring was set with a false topaz that gleamed in the sunlight.
He inherited a pendant made of false topaz from his grandmother.

Synonyms

smoky quartz

vsfalse topaz

Specialized

1 6.4

A brown or yellow quartz stone used as a gem

is specifically yellow and resembles the gemstone but is not genuine

common topaz

vsfalse topaz

6.8

A yellow stone that looks like real topaz but is not the real gem

is similar in look but is not the real gemstone

cairngorm

vsfalse topaz

9.9

A smoky yellow or brown quartz stone used as a gem

is yellow and imitates that gemstone without being authentic

Antonyms

topaz

1 6.5

A hard clear or yellow brown gemstone often worn in jewelry

Surface Forms

false topaz singular

false topazes plural

Morphology

false + topaz

The phrase 'false topaz' is a straightforward adjective+noun composition: 'false' meaning not genuine or imitation, applied to 'topaz', so the combined meaning (a stone resembling but not true topaz) is directly derivable from its parts. This compositional pattern is cross-linguistically common and involves no idiomatic or metaphorical shift, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will understand it.

Etymology

False topaz gets its name from the simple idea that the stone looks like topaz but is false. That's why the name means a yellow quartz that 'looks like topaz' rather than being 'a true topaz'.