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carnelian

carnelian

1 9.9
A red or orange stone that lets some light through and people use for jewelry
  • noun
  • /kɑrˈniːliən/
translation icon : cornalina
  • Vidale notes that Indus weights, seals, and etched carnelian beads found at Konar Sandal demonstrate connections with that civilization as well.

Examples

  • Her neck, the triangle of skin inside the collar's V, and her strand of tiny carnelian beads were in shadow.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • This one, it's called carnelian, and it's supposed to help with luck.

  • Craftsmen worked shells from the Persian Gulf, carnelian from India, and local metals such as tin and copper.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Leaves moved through her eyes, endless leaves and petals of carnelian and beaten gold, as if she wandered through an enchanted garden.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • More ostentatious examples were threaded with gemstones, in this case carnelians and pearls.

  • The bodies were covered in gold jewelry inlaid with turquoise and carnelian that blended the artistic traditions of cultures all along the Silk Road.

    Academic text (2008)
  • The artist used a carnelian stone to create a stunning pendant that catches the light beautifully.

  • She wore a carnelian bracelet that complemented her outfit with its vibrant orange hue.

  • At the gem show, I admired a piece of carnelian jewelry that showcased the stone's rich color and translucence.

Synonyms

sard
vscarnelian
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A deep orange-red stone that people use as a small gem

is lighter and more translucent rather than deep
sardine
vscarnelian
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A deep orange-red stone used in jewelry

is paler and more translucent instead of deep orange red
cornelian
vscarnelian
  • UK
9.9

A red or orange stone used for jewelry

is the same meaning but appears as an alternate spelling
sardius
vscarnelian
  • Archaic
9.9

A deep orange-red stone used as a gem in jewelry

is a paler, more translucent shade rather than deep

Surface Forms

carnelian singular
carnelians plural

Etymology

Carnelian comes from the Latin carneolus, built from carn- meaning 'flesh'. The stone's warm red-orange colour looked like flesh, so carnelian became the name for this red-orange gemstone.