diamond
Meaning
A very hard, clear, and valuable precious stone, used in jewellery and in industry.
A shape with four straight sides of equal length, arranged with two acute and two obtuse angles; a rhombus.
One of the four suits in a pack of playing cards, represented by a red diamond shape.
Structure
Usage
She was given a beautiful diamond engagement ring.
The baseball field is shaped like a diamond.
He played the ace of diamonds and won the trick.
Etymology
The word 'diamond' has a history of unbreakable strength embedded in its name. It entered Middle English from Old French 'diamant', which itself evolved from Late Latin 'diamantem' and ultimately from Greek 'adamas', meaning "unconquerable" or "invincible". The Greek term 'adamas' was used for the hardest metal or substance, and through Latin, the initial 'a-' was lost, influenced by the prefix 'dia-' ("through, across"), perhaps alluding to its legendary hardness that could cut through anything. Thus, the modern word 'diamond' preserves the core idea of an indestructible substance, now specifically referring to the crystallized carbon gemstone renowned as the hardest natural material.
Analysis
dia- (Greek origin, meaning "through, across"); -mond (from Old French 'adamant', ultimately from Greek 'adamas', meaning "unconquerable, invincible")