What does peridot mean?
A peridot is a beautiful, translucent gemstone with a distinctive yellow-green color. It is a variety of olivine, a mineral that can also occur in other colors, and is commonly set into rings, pendants, earrings, and other jewelry. When used for color, peridot describes the gemstone’s characteristic bright, slightly yellowish green, often associated with spring vegetation and natural freshness. The gemstone has been valued since antiquity, although it was not always identified with olivine in the modern mineralogical sense. Peridot is relatively uncommon compared with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds, which gives attractive examples additional appeal. It is also valued for its vivid appearance and is often described as a gemstone of vivid, grassy green. For these reasons, peridot remains a distinctive choice for jewelry and a useful term in both gemology and color description.
A translucent yellow-green gemstone consisting of the mineral olivine.
"The pendant was centered on a large, flawless peridot."
In gemology, a peridot is specifically the green gem-quality variety of olivine.
A vivid yellow-green color associated with the gemstone.
"She chose a dress in peridot for the summer wedding."
This color use is most often found in fashion, design, and descriptive contexts.
The plural 'peridots' is used for multiple gemstones or individual examples of the gemstone.
"The collection included peridots from several historic mines."
Peridot is one of the few gemstones whose color is so distinctive that its name is also used for a shade of green.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does peridot come from?
The word comes through Middle English from Old French forms related to French péridot. Its ultimate source is generally traced to Ancient Greek peridōn, a term associated with the gemstone and with the idea of giving or bestowing something in abundance. The modern English spelling and pronunciation became established during the medieval period, and the word later acquired both its gemstone meaning and its color meaning.
How peridot is actually used
In jewelry and mineralogy, 'peridot' refers to the gemstone rather than to all olivine. As a color term, it is usually used attributively, as in 'peridot green.'
Easily confused with peridot
Peridot is a yellow-green variety of olivine, whereas emerald is a green variety of beryl.