2 entries found for garnet.
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garnet garnet paper

Main Entry: gar·net
Pronunciation: gär-nt
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English gernet "garnet," from early French gernete (same meaning), from gernet (adjective) "red like a pomegranate," from pomme gernete "pomegranate," literally, "seedy apple"; pomme from earlier pome "apple" and gernete derived from Latin granum "grain, seed" --related to GRAIN, GRENADE, POMEGRANATE
1 : a transparent usually red mineral used as a gem or for grinding, smoothing, or polishing
2 : a deep red color
Word History The garnet owes its name to its color. The deep red color of this gemstone reminded the French of a red-skinned fruit. In early French the fruit was called pomme grenate, which means "seedy apple." This later became pomegranate in English. The early French word grenate, meaning "seedy," is the source of the adjective grenat, meaning "red like a pomegranate." This word was then used as a noun to refer to the deep-red gemstone. When borrowed into English, grenat became garnet.