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zircon

/ˈzɜː(ɹ)kən/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about zircon at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. A common mineral occurring in small crystals; chief source of zirconium; used as a refractory when opaque and as a gem when transparent.

Origin

From German Zirkon, possibly via French zircon, formed in the 1780s from Arabic زَرْقُون (zarqūn), borrowed from Middle Persian zlgwn' (/⁠zargōn⁠/). Doublet of jargoon.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)