kunzite

1 9.9

A pale pink or light purple gem used in jewelry

noun
/ˈkʌnzaɪt/

: kunzita

The pale violet kunzite in her necklace glimmered under the bright restaurant lights.

Examples

Collectors prize kunzite for its delicate coloring and impressive clarity.
A jeweler showed me a ring set with a rare pink kunzite stone.
The beautiful kunzite sparkled in the sunlight.
She wore a stunning kunzite necklace to the party.
She wore a stunning necklace featuring a large kunzite surrounded by sparkling diamonds.
The jeweler showcased a beautiful kunzite pendant that reflected shades of pink and lilac.
As I examined the kunzite stone, I was amazed by its delicate color and clarity.

Surface Forms

kunzite singular

kunzites plural

Morphology

kunzite = Kunz (semi-transparent) = kunz + ite

The suffix '-ite' signals a mineral or mineral-derived substance which is somewhat recognizable, but the base is a proper name and gives no independent lexical meaning to a typical learner.

Etymology

Kunzite is named after the American gem expert Kunz, and the ending -ite is a common mineral ending meaning 'rock' or 'mineral'. So, kunzite is literally the pink gemstone that carries Kunz's name.