hessonite

noun

hes·​so·​nite ˈhe-sə-ˌnīt How to pronounce hessonite (audio)
variants or less commonly essonite
: a yellow to brown garnet

Word History

Etymology

French, from Greek hēsson inferior; from its being less hard than true hyacinth

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hessonite was in 1889

Dictionary Entries Near hessonite

Cite this Entry

“Hessonite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hessonite. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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