English
spinel
Spinel comes from French spinelle.
- Frenchc. 1600–presentspinelle
- Englishearliest quotation 2012spinel
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Frenchc. 1600–presentspinelle
- Englishearliest quotation 2012spinel
Earliest quotation: 2012, Lee A. Groat, Gemstones: “Although there are dozens of different types of gems,…”
The story
French spinelle, perhaps from Latin spina (‘a thorn, a prickle’), in allusion to its pointed crystals.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *spey- ‘sharp point’
spike, spinach, cusp, asp, spire, spigot, spica, aspic, 28 more
through Proto-Italic *speinā ‘thorn’
through Latin spina ‘a thorn, a prickle’
Today it means
noun Any of several hard minerals of cubic symmetry that are mixed oxides of magnesium and aluminium and are used as gemstones of various colours.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / French spinelle / spinel