etymonline logo
  • Columns
  • Forum
  • Apps
  • Premium
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
logologo

Quick and reliable accounts of the origin and history of English words. Scholarly, yet simple.

About

  • Who Did This
  • Sources
  • Introduction
  • Links

Support

  • Premium
  • Patreon
  • Donate with PayPal
  • Merch

Apps

Terms of ServicesPrivacy Policy
© 2001 - 2026 Douglas Harper
Advertisement

Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

Origin and history of opal

opal(n.)

"mineral like quartz but without crystalline structure," 1590s, from French opalle (16c.) and directly from Late Latin opalus (Pliny), supposedly from Greek opallios, which is possibly ultimately from Sanskrit upala-s "gem, precious stone." Used in Middle English in Latin form (late 14c.). Related: Opaline.

also from 1590s

Entries linking to opal

opalescent(adj.)

"having variegated and changing colors like those of an opal," 1810, from opal + -escent. Perhaps via French opalescent.

*upo

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "under," also "up from under," hence "over."

It might form all or part of: above; assume; Aufklarung; eave; eavesdropper; hyphen; hypo-; hypochondria; hypocrisy; hypotenuse; hypothalamus; hypothesis; hypsi-; hypso-; opal; open; oft; often; resuscitate; somber; souffle; source; soutane; souvenir; sub-; subject; sublime; subpoena; substance; subterfuge; subtle; suburb; succeed; succinct; succor; succubus; succumb; sudden; suffer; sufficient; suffix; suffrage; suggestion; summon; supine; supple; supply; support; suppose; surge; suspect; suspend; sustain; up; up-; Upanishad; uproar; valet; varlet; vassal.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit upa "near, under, up to, on," Greek hypo "under," Latin sub "under, below," Gothic iup, Old Norse, Old English upp "up, upward," Hittite up-zi "rises."

    Advertisement

    Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

    More to explore

    mineral
    late 14c., "substance obtained by mining," from Old French mineral and directly from Medieval Latin minerale "something mined," noun use of neuter of mineralis "pertaining to mines," from minera "a mine" (see mine (n.1)). Meaning "material substance that is neither animal nor veg
    giant
    c. 1300, "fabulous man-like creature of enormous size," from Old French geant, earlier jaiant "giant, ogre" (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *gagantem (nominative gagas), from Latin gigas "a giant," from Greek Gigas (usually in plural, Gigantes), one of a race of divine but savage and m
    necromancy
    c. 1300, nygromauncy, nigromauncie, "sorcery, witchcraft, black magic," properly "divination by communication with the dead," from Old French nigromancie "magic, necromancy, witchcraft, sorcery," from Medieval Latin nigromantia (13c.), from Latin necromantia "divination from an e
    apprehension
    late 14c., "perception, comprehension," from Old French apreension "comprehension, something learned" or directly from Latin apprehensionem (nominative apprehensio) "a seizing upon, laying hold of; understanding," noun of action from past-participle stem of apprehendere "take hol
    affidavit
    "written declaration upon an oath," 1590s, from Medieval Latin affidavit, literally "he has stated on oath," third person singular perfective of affidare "to trust; to make an oath," from Latin ad "to" (see ad-) + fidare "to trust," from fidus "faithful" (from PIE root *bheidh- "
    resolution
    late 14c., resolucioun, "a breaking or reducing into parts; process of breaking up, dissolution," from Old French resolution (14c.) and directly from Latin resolutionem (nominative resolutio) "process of reducing things into simpler forms," noun of action from past-participle ste
    theater
    late 14c., "open air place in ancient times for viewing spectacles and plays," from Old French theatre (12c., Modern French théâtre, improperly accented) and directly from Latin theatrum "play-house, theater; stage; spectators in a theater" (source also of Spanish, Italian teatro
    cast
    c. 1200, "throw, throw violently, fling, hurl," from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse kasta "to throw" (cognate with Swedish kasta, Danish kaste, North Frisian kastin), a word of uncertain origin. The meaning "to form in a mold" is late 15c. In the sense of "to throw" it r
    stymie
    1857, in golf, "put a player in the position where an opponent's ball is directly in the line of approach to the hole;" from stymie (n.) "condition in which an opponent's ball blocks the line of approach to the hole" (1834). It is of uncertain origin, perhaps from Scottish stymie
    grave
    "excavation in earth for reception of a dead body," Old English græf "grave; ditch, trench; cave," from Proto-Germanic *grafa-/graba- (source also of Old Saxon graf, Old Frisian gref, Old High German grab "grave, tomb;" Old Norse gröf "cave," Gothic graba "ditch"), cognate with O

    Share opal

    Page URL:
    HTML Link:
    APA Style:
    Chicago Style:
    MLA Style:
    IEEE Style:
    Advertisement

    Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

    Trending
    Dictionary entries near opal
    • op-
    • *op-
    • op. cit.
    • opacity
    • opafication
    • opal
    • opalescence
    • opalescent
    • opaque
    • ope
    • OPEC
    Advertisement

    Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

    Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.