Etymology : Middle English diamaunde, from Middle French diamant, from Old French, from Late Latin diamant-, diamas, alteration of Latin adamant-, adamas hardest metal, diamond, from Greek
Pronunciation : 'dI-(&-)m&nd
Function : noun
Date : 14th century
1. precious stone; rhombus, shape having four equal sides. diamond\di"a*mond\ (?; 277), n. [oe. diamaund, diamaunt, f. diamant, corrupted, fr. l. adamas, the hardest iron, steel, diamond, gr. . perh. the corruption is due to the influence of gr. transparent. see:
adamant, tame.].
2. a precious stone or gem excelling in brilliancy and beautiful play of prismatic colors, and remarkable for extreme hardness.note: the diamond is native carbon in isometric crystals, often octahedrons with rounded edges. it is usually colorless, but some are yellow, green, blue, and even black. it is the hardest substance known. the diamond as found in nature (called a rough diamond) is cut, for use in jewelry, into various forms with many reflecting faces, or facets, by which its brilliancy is much increased. see:
brilliant, rose. diamonds are said to be of the first water when very transparent, and of the second or third water as the transparency decreases.
3. a geometrical figure, consisting of four equal straight lines, and having two of the interior angles acute and two obtuse; a rhombus; a lozenge.
4. one of a suit of playing cards, stamped with the figure of a diamond.
5. (arch.) a pointed projection, like a four-sided pyramid, used for ornament in lines or groups.
6. (baseball) the infield; the square space, 90 feet on a side, having the bases at its angles.
7. (print.) the smallest kind of type in english printing, except that called brilliant, which is seldom seen.note: this line is printed in the type called diamond.
8. A precious stone or gem excelling in brilliancy and beautiful play of prismatic colors, and remarkable for extreme hardness.
9. A geometrical figure, consisting of four equal straight lines, and having two of the interior angles acute and two obtuse; a rhombus; a lozenge.
10. One of a suit of playing cards, stamped with the figure of a diamond.
11. A pointed projection, like a four-sided pyramid, used for ornament in lines or groups.
12. The infield; the square space, 90 feet on a side, having the bases at its angles.
13. The smallest kind of type in English printing, except that called brilliant, which is seldom seen.
14. Resembling a diamond; made of, or abounding in, diamonds; as, a diamond chain; a diamond field. a playing card in the minor suit of diamonds a transparent piece of diamond that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem very hard native crystalline carbon valued as a gem.
15. 1. A diamond is a hard, bright, precious stone which is clear and colourless. Diamonds are used in jewellery and for cutting very hard substances. a pair of diamond earrings.
16. A diamond is a shape with four straight sides of equal length where the opposite angles are the same, but none of the angles is equal to 90°: ♦. He formed his hands into the shape of a diamond.
17. Diamonds is one of the four suits of cards in a pack of playing cards. Each card in the suit is marked with one or more red symbols in the shape of a diamond. He drew the seven of diamonds. A diamond is a playing card of this suit. Mineral composed of pure carbon, the hardest naturally occurring substance known and a valuable gemstone. Diamonds are formed deep in the Earth by tremendous pressures and temperatures over long periods of time. In the crystal structure of diamond, each carbon atom is linked to four other, equidistant, carbon atoms. This tight crystal structure results in properties that are very different from those of graphite, the other common form of pure carbon. Diamonds vary from colourless to black and may be transparent, translucent, or opaque. Most gem diamonds are transparent and colourless or nearly so. Colourless or pale blue stones are most valued, but most gem diamonds are tinged with yellow. Because of their extreme hardness, diamonds have important industrial applications. Most industrial diamonds are gray or brown and are translucent or opaque. In the symbolism of gemstones, the diamond represents steadfast love and is the birthstone for April. Affair of the Diamond Necklace Cullinan diamond diamond cutting Diamond Sutra Diamond Cutter Perfection of Wisdom Sutra Hope diamond.