carnelian

noun

car·​ne·​lian kär-ˈnēl-yən How to pronounce carnelian (audio)
: a hard red chalcedony used in jewelry

Examples of carnelian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Others glowed with rich red carnelian, coral, and even the metallic sheen of haematite. — Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2025 Silver bracelets of Queen Hetepheres inlaid with turquoise, lapis lazuli and carnelian in a chest covered with gold leaf. — Charlene Gubash, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2025 Moonstone has a soft, glowy appearance, while pearl is classic and understated, and carnelian brings in a warm tone that's fitting for any summer manicure. — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 20 June 2026 The exclusive collection features bold pendant necklaces, earrings, and cuff bracelets, all set with semi-precious stones like carnelian, onyx, and golden jasper. — Essence, 25 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for carnelian

Word History

Etymology

alteration of cornelian, from Middle English corneline, from Anglo-French, perhaps from Old French cornele cornel cherry

First Known Use

1695, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of carnelian was in 1695

Browse Nearby Words

Carnegie unit
carnelian
carnelian red
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Carnelian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carnelian. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

carnelian

noun
car·​ne·​lian kär-ˈnēl-yən How to pronounce carnelian (audio)
: a hard tough reddish quartz used as a gem

More from Merriam-Webster on carnelian

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about carnelian

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All