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Glite Dictionary
🌋 A volcanic rock 💎 A type of jade 🪨 A greenish rock
greenstone

greenstone

8.1
A hard green stone used by Maori people for jewelry and carving
  • noun
  • /ˈɡriːnstoʊn/
  • New Zealand
translation icon : pounamu
  • Mahuika is a master carver of greenstone and creates beautiful jewelry cherished by the Maori people.
  • greenstone axeblade

Examples

  • A friend of mine, who is also an immigrant, wears a greenstone necklace, which is very sacred to the Maori culture here, and he is treated with utmost respect for it.

    Blog text (8)

  • There's absolutely gorgeous miniature lustrous greenstone portrait of Agrapina.

  • On my first day of residence in Jelewaga Village, I saw rows of these polished greenstone axeblades lined up for presentation at a mortuary feast.

    Academic text (1991)

  • Why then do the people of Vanatinai continue to sail long distances over treacherous seas in search of greenstone axeblades and other valuables to give away at mortuary feasts?

    Academic text (1991)

  • Grateful residents gave the champions (asiara) shell disc necklaces, greenstone axeblades, and other kula-type valuables in exchange for decorated enemy skulls.

    Academic text (1991)

  • In the South Island of New Zealand, they sought greenstone to craft tools that hold cultural significance.

  • The Maori highly value greenstone, using it in ceremonial ornaments that symbolize their heritage.

Synonyms

jade
vsgreenstone
40 4.9

A hard green stone used for jewelry and ornaments

is the specific nephrite variety especially valued and sacred to the Maori
jadestone
vsgreenstone
7.7

A hard green or white stone used for jewelry and carving

is the nephrite variety especially valued and sacred to the Maori

Surface Forms

greenstone singular
greenstones plural

Morphology

greenstone = green + stone (semi-transparent) = green + stone

The components indicate a green rock, but this sense denotes a specific culturally significant material (jade/nephrite) which is more specialized than the literal compound.

Etymology

The word greenstone again joins green and stone, and in New Zealand it names a special jade called 'pounamu' that the Māori used for sacred tools and jewelry, so greenstone can mean that treasured green gem.