The word 'tourmaline' entered English in the early 18th century from German 'Turmalin'. The German term was derived from the Sinhalese (Sri Lankan) word 'tōramalli', which referred to a type of precious stone. This Sinhalese word was likely a descriptive term for carnelian or other colored stones. The journey from a specific local term in Sri Lanka to the internationally recognized name for a complex silicate mineral illustrates the role of trade and mineralogy in shaping scientific vocabulary, with the original meaning broadening to encompass a specific mineral group identified by modern science.

The word is a simplex loanword. It cannot be meaningfully segmented into productive morphemes in modern English based on its current spelling.