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Glite Dictionary
moss agate

moss agate

8.4
A semi-precious gem with green or brown patterns like moss
  • noun
  • /mɔs ˈæɡeɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : ágata musgo
  • Collectors prize moss agate for its unique, natural patterns that resemble tiny trees or ferns.

Examples

  • She wore a pendant featuring a beautiful moss agate set in silver.

  • The jeweler recommended moss agate as an affordable alternative to more expensive gemstones.

  • I bought a beautiful moss agate pendant yesterday.

  • The moss agate stone has unique patterns.

  • Collectors prize moss agate for its unique, natural patterns that resemble tiny trees or ferns.

  • She wore a pendant featuring a beautiful moss agate set in silver.

  • The jeweler recommended moss agate as an affordable alternative to more expensive gemstones.

Synonyms

agate
vsmoss agate
3 7.3

A hard stone with bands of color used for jewelry and small grinding tools

highlights dark branching inclusions instead of layered banding
Aggie
vsmoss agate
  • Archaic
9.9

A small banded stone often used for jewelry

focuses on distinctive branching inclusions rather than small size or jewelry use

Surface Forms

moss agate singular
moss agates plural

Morphology

moss + agate

The compound combines 'moss' (a plant with leafy, mat-like growth) and 'agate' (a type of gemstone), so the meaning 'an agate with moss-like inclusions' is directly inferable from the constituents. This follows a common descriptive noun-noun composition (appearance-based modifier) that is cross-linguistically regular, so a B1 learner who knows both words would understand the MWE.

Etymology

Moss agate is named for the green and brown patterns inside that look like tiny moss or ferns in the agate. Those patterns are just mineral marks, not real plants, so the name tells you it is an agate with 'moss-like' patterns.