Emerald, grass-green variety of beryl (q.v.) that is highly valued as a gemstone. The name comes indirectly from the Greek smaragdos, a name that seems to have been given to a number of stones having little in common except a green colour; Pliny’s smaragdus undoubtedly included several distinct species. Much confusion has arisen with respect to the “emerald” of the Scriptures: the Hebrew word rendered emerald in the Authorized Version probably meant carbuncle, a garnet.