jade-green

IPA/dʒˈeɪdɡɹˈiːn/
IPA/dʒˈeɪdɡɹˈiːn/

jade-green — noun

1. a hard, valuable green mineral that is cut and polished to make jewellery, ornam

1.nounB1
Definition

a hard, valuable green mineral that is cut and polished to make jewellery, ornaments, and carved artworks, traditionally highly prized in Chinese and other East Asian cultures

Example

Ana found a jade-green pendant at a night market and bought it for her mother.

jade-green + pendant (jewellery collocation)

The museum displayed a jade-green vase carved with dragons during the Ming dynasty.

carved jade-green — typical decorative object

Common collocations
  • carved jade-green
  • jade-green pendant
  • jade-green bracelet
  • jade-green vase
  • jade-green carving
Synonyms
  • jade

    the simpler noun form, used without hyphen for the stone itself

  • nephrite

    one of two mineral types of jade, typically darker green and more common

  • jadeite

    the rarer, more valuable type of jade, prized for its vivid green colour

Usage Note

Often used without a hyphen when referring to the stone itself (jade pendant, jade bracelet). The hyphenated form jade-green is more common when functioning as a compound adjective before a noun.

Common Mistakes

She wore a jade-green necklace made of emerald.
She wore a jade-green necklace made of jade.
Jade and emerald are different green gemstones; use the correct stone name.

2. a vivid green shade with a slight blue tint, similar to the colour of high-quali

2.nounB1
Definition

a vivid green shade with a slight blue tint, similar to the colour of high-quality jade stone

Example

Nadia painted her bedroom walls a soft jade-green because the colour felt calm and fresh.

jade-green + walls (colour collocation with surfaces)

Liam chose a jade-green tie that matched the leaves of the garden outside the window.

Common collocations
  • painted jade-green
  • jade-green walls
  • jade-green dress
  • jade-green tile
  • jade-green card
Synonyms
  • emerald green

    a brighter, more yellow-toned green; emerald is distinct from jade

  • teal

    a darker blue-green that overlaps but is less yellow than jade-green

  • olive green

    a duller, earthier green with no blue tint

Usage Note

As a colour noun, jade-green can be used alone (She likes jade-green) or in phrases like a shade of jade-green. The hyphen is typically kept in the compound noun.

jade-green — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four describe green colours, but they differ in shade and intensity. Jade-green has a distinctive slightly blue undertone and medium saturation — it is the green of high-quality jade stone. Emerald is brighter and more vivid with a yellow-green tint, often used for rich, eye-catching colours in fashion and design. Sea-green is paler and more blue-toned, evoking clear ocean water, while mint green is the lightest of the group, a cool pastel with very low saturation. In everyday use, jade-green suggests elegance and natural calm; emerald suggests luxury; sea-green suggests freshness; and mint green suggests softness. For example, a jade-green dress looks sophisticated but not flashy, while an emerald-green dress would stand out in a crowd.

jade-green ↗emerald ↗sea-greenmint green

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • painted in jade-green
  • carved from jade-green
  • shade of jade-green
  • jade-green in colour

Etymology

SpanishFrenchEnglish

The word jade comes from Spanish piedra de ijada ('stone of the flank'), because the stone was believed to cure kidney ailments. The term entered English through French in the 16th century. JADE-GREEN emerged as a compound colour name in the 19th century, comparing the stone's characteristic green hue to other objects, much like emerald green or ruby red.