diamond
diamond
Pronunciation
IPA Phonetic Spelling for "diamond":
/ˈdaɪmJənd/
Syllable Breakdown:
dai-: /daɪ/
-mond: /mJənd/
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: diamond
Plural Noun: diamonds
Adjective: diamond (e.g., "a diamond ring," "diamond anniversary")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A precious gemstone: A naturally occurring, extremely hard, crystalline allotrope of carbon, highly valued for its brilliance, rarity, and durability, often used in jewelry.
Synonyms: gem, jewel, brilliant, solitaire
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms as it's a specific material, but one could consider less valuable materials like "pebble" or "rock" in a very broad sense)
A geometric shape: A quadrilateral with four equal sides and two pairs of equal angles, resembling the shape of a playing card suit or the cross-section of a cut gemstone.
Synonyms: rhombus, lozenge, kite
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms, as it's a shape; other shapes like "square," "circle," "triangle" are distinct)
A playing card suit: One of the four suits in a deck of playing cards, marked with a red diamond shape.
Synonyms: (No direct synonyms, as it's a specific suit)
Antonyms: (Other suits: "spade," "heart," "club")
A baseball infield: The square-shaped playing area in baseball, encompassing the four bases and home plate.
Synonyms: infield, field (in baseball context)
Antonyms: outfield
Adjective
Made of or characteristic of diamonds: Composed of, resembling, or adorned with diamonds.
Synonyms: brilliant, glittering, sparkling, precious (when referring to value)
Antonyms: dull, unadorned, ordinary, common (when referring to material)
Examples of Use
Books:
"He placed the engagement ring, a glittering diamond on a platinum band, gently onto her finger." (From a contemporary romance novel, exact title not specified, but representative of common usage in the genre)
"The Cullinan Diamond, discovered in 1905, remains the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found." (From a non-fiction book about famous jewels, e.g., The World's Greatest Jewels by Jack Ogden, October 2011)
Newspapers:
"The Dodgers clinched a dramatic victory after a walk-off single brought the winning run home from third base, sealing the win on the diamond." (Los Angeles Times)
"Analysts predict a rebound in the luxury market, with strong demand for high-carat diamond jewelry leading the way." (The Wall Street Journal)
Online Publications:
"Learn how to choose the perfect diamond for your engagement ring with our comprehensive guide." (GIA.edu, an article on diamond buying)
"Researchers are exploring new applications for industrial diamond coatings in aerospace technology due to their extreme hardness and heat resistance." (ScienceDaily, an article on materials science)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "Diamonds Are Forever" (Title of a James Bond film, released 1971)
Music: "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (Song title by The Beatles, released June 1967)
Television: "The heist crew meticulously planned to steal the rare blue diamond from the museum." (Plot point in a crime drama series, e.g., Money Heist, exact episode not cited but common trope)
Video Games: "Collect all the hidden diamond shards to unlock the secret level." (Objective in an adventure video game, common mechanic)
General Public Discourse:
"She celebrated her 60th wedding anniversary, a true diamond anniversary, with family and friends." (Heard in a casual conversation)
"That new baseball stadium has a beautiful diamond; it's a real pleasure to watch a game there." (Comment from a sports fan)
"I'm looking for a pendant with a small, ethically sourced diamond." (Spoken by a shopper in a jewelry store)
10 Quotes Using Diamond
"Diamonds are a girl's best friend." (Marilyn Monroe)
"No pressure, no diamonds." (Thomas Carlyle)
"A diamond is just a lump of coal that stuck to its job." (Malcolm Forbes)
"Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without." (Confucius)
"When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure." (Peter Marshall)
"I never hated a man enough to give him his diamonds back." (Zsa Zsa Gabor)
"We shall find peace. We shall hear angels, we shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds." (Anton Chekhov)
"True friends are like diamonds – bright, beautiful, valuable, and always in style." (Nicole Richie)
"Lost - yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes." (Horace Mann)
"A diamond is forever." (Frances Gerety, De Beers slogan)
Etymology
The word "diamond" has a fascinating history that goes back to ancient times. In simple terms, it comes from a very old Greek word, "adamas" (ἀδάμας).
The Greek word "adamas" literally meant "unconquerable," "untamable," or "indestructible." This was because ancient Greeks (and other cultures) recognized a substance that was incredibly hard – much harder than anything else they knew. While "adamas" eventually referred specifically to the gemstone we know as diamond, it was initially used more broadly to describe any extremely hard or unyielding material, even a hypothetical one, or sometimes even steel or a magnet.
The idea was that this material was so tough, you couldn't break it or "tame" it. This perfectly captured the remarkable hardness of the actual diamond. Over time, as diamonds became more widely known and valued, this Greek word traveled through Latin (where it became "adamas" or "adiamas," then later "diamas" in Medieval Latin) and then into Old French as "diamant." Finally, it arrived in English in the mid-14th century as "diamaunt" or "diamond," referring to the incredibly hard, precious stone we know today.
So, the very first meaning tied to "diamond" was its incredible strength and invincibility, reflecting its unique physical properties.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Diamond
Diamond in the rough: Someone or something with great potential but still needing refinement or development.
Diamond anniversary: The 60th wedding anniversary.
Diamond jubilee: A celebration of a 60th anniversary, especially of a monarch's reign.
The baseball diamond: The playing field for baseball.
Like a diamond in the sun: To shine brightly or stand out prominently.
To cut a diamond: To shape and polish a diamond, often metaphorically meaning to refine something precious.
A diamond-hard will: Extremely strong and unyielding determination.
Sparkle like a diamond: To exhibit great brilliance or vivacity.
Set in diamonds: Adorned with diamonds.
A diamond standard: A very high, uncompromised level of quality or excellence.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of diamond from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
