diamond

¹

[ dahy-muhnd, dahy-uh- ]

noun

1. a pure or nearly pure, extremely hard form of carbon, naturally crystallized in the isometric system.
2. a piece of this stone.
3. a transparent, flawless or almost flawless piece of this stone, especially when cut and polished, valued as a precious gem.
4. a ring or other piece of jewelry containing such a precious stone, especially an engagement ring.
5. a piece of this stone used in a drill or cutting tool.
6. a tool provided with such an uncut stone, used for cutting glass.
7. crystallized carbon, or a piece of it, artificially produced.
8. an equilateral quadrilateral, especially as placed with its diagonals vertical and horizontal; a lozenge or rhombus.
9. any rhombus-shaped figure or object oriented with its diagonals vertical and horizontal.
10. a red rhombus-shaped figure on a playing card.
11. a card of the suit bearing such figures.
12. diamonds, (used with a singular or plural verb) the suit so marked:

    Diamonds is trump. Diamonds are trump.

13. Baseball.
    1. the space enclosed by home plate and the three bases; infield.
    2. the entire playing field.
14. Printing. a 4½-point type of a size between brilliant and pearl.

adjective

1. made of or set with a diamond or diamonds.
2. having the shape of a diamond:

   a dress with a diamond print.

3. indicating the 75th, or sometimes the 60th, event of a series, as a wedding anniversary.

verb (used with object)

1. to adorn with or as if with diamonds.

Diamond

²

[ dahy-muhnd, dahy-uh- ]

noun

1. Neil, born 1941, U.S. singer and songwriter.
2. Cape, a hill in Canada, in S Quebec, on the St. Lawrence River.

diamond

/ ˈdaɪəmənd /

noun

1. 1. a colourless exceptionally hard mineral (but often tinted yellow, orange, blue, brown, or black by impurities), found in certain igneous rocks (esp the kimberlites of South Africa). It is used as a gemstone, as an abrasive, and on the working edges of cutting tools. Composition: carbon. Formula: C. Crystal structure: cubic
   2. ( as modifier ) diamantine

      a diamond ring

2. geometry
   1. a figure having four sides of equal length forming two acute angles and two obtuse angles; rhombus
   2. modifier rhombic
3. 1. a red lozenge-shaped symbol on a playing card
   2. a card with one or more of these symbols or ( when plural ) the suit of cards so marked
4. baseball
   1. the whole playing field
   2. the square formed by the four bases
5. (formerly) a size of printer's type approximately equal to 4 1 2 point
6. black diamond
   a figurative name for coal
7. rough diamond
   1. an unpolished diamond
   2. a person of fine character who lacks refinement and polish

verb

1. tr to decorate with or as with diamonds

diamond

/ dī′ə-mənd /

1. A form of pure carbon that occurs naturally as a clear, cubic crystal and is the hardest of all known minerals. It often occurs as octahedrons with rounded edges and curved surfaces. Diamond forms under conditions of extreme temperature and pressure and is most commonly found in volcanic breccias and in alluvial deposits. Poorly formed diamonds are used in abrasives and in industrial cutting tools.

Derived Forms

• ˈdiamond-ˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• diamond·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of diamond¹

1275–1325; Middle English diamant < Old French < Vulgar Latin *diamant-, stem of *diamas, perhaps alteration of *adimas (> French aimant magnet, Old Provençal aziman diamond, magnet), for Latin adamas adamant, diamond

Word History and Origins

Origin of diamond¹

C13: from Old French diamant, from Medieval Latin diamas, modification of Latin adamas the hardest iron or steel, diamond; see adamant

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. diamond in the rough, a person of fine character but lacking refined manners or graces.

Example Sentences

It is believed some of the jewels in the necklace sold on Wednesday were the original ones at the centre of the "affair of the diamond necklace" scandal in the 1780s, that may have hastened Marie Antoinette's demise.

From BBC

There were jeers for Ohio's Paul, who wore a diamond spiked ear cover and referenced the infamous title fight where Tyson bit a chunk out of Evander Holyfield's ear in 1997.

From BBC

Their relationship can be summed up by a scene where Trump gifts Cohn some diamond cufflinks for his birthday.

From Salon

And the shape is the same as Kaju katli, it’s a diamond shape.

From Salon

He says amongst his first moves will be to to sign new deal with global diamond giant De Beers.

From BBC

Related Words

• gem
• jewel
• rhinestone