Meaning & use
aquamarine
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountable
A clear, pale blue-green gemstone, a variety of beryl.
Grammar: Countable when talking about individual stones (an aquamarine, two aquamarines); uncountable when talking about the material (a ring set with aquamarine).
Patterns
- a piece of aquamarine
- set with aquamarine
- an aquamarine ring
The necklace had a large aquamarine in the center.
Aquamarine is often cut into simple shapes to show off its clear color.
She collects rough aquamarines from old mines.
noununcountable
A pale blue-green color, like the gemstone.
Grammar: Used for the color itself: painted in aquamarine. No plural in this sense.
Patterns
- in aquamarine
- a shade of aquamarine
- aquamarine blue
The walls were painted a soft aquamarine.
Her dress was aquamarine, the color of shallow tropical water.
The artist mixed blue and green to get aquamarine.
adjectivenot comparable
Having a pale blue-green color.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after a linking verb: an aquamarine scarf; the sea was aquamarine. Not usually compared.
Patterns
- aquamarine eyes
- aquamarine water
- be aquamarine
The lake looked aquamarine in the morning light.
She wore an aquamarine blouse that matched her eyes.
The brochure showed aquamarine pools and white sand.
Word forms
| plural | aquamarines |
|---|
Common combinations
- aquamarine ring
- He gave her an aquamarine ring for their anniversary.
- pale aquamarine
- The sky turned a pale aquamarine just before sunrise.
- aquamarine water
- The bay is famous for its aquamarine water.
- set with aquamarine
- The brooch was set with aquamarine and pearls.
- aquamarine blue
- The team chose aquamarine blue for their new uniforms.
Synonyms and how they differ
- turquoise
- Turquoise is usually a stronger, slightly greener blue; aquamarine is paler and more blue.
- blue-green
- A plain descriptive term; aquamarine is more specific and often suggests a gem-like, clear tone.
Commonly confused: aquamarine or aquarium? aquamarine or marine?
aquamarine vs aquarium
An aquarium is a tank or building for fish; aquamarine is a gemstone or color.
aquamarine vs marine
Marine means related to the sea; aquamarine is a stone or color, though both come from words for sea water.
Practice
Which sentence uses aquamarine as a color?
Choose one answer.
In the dress sentence, aquamarine names a color. The other sentences all talk about the gemstone itself.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “aquamarine”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.