People are only just realising what turquoise means despite 'obvious' origin

04 May 2023 , 13:51

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People were left amazed by the discovery (Image: Getty Images)

Most of us have admired turquoise at one point or another. After all, the popular colour and mineral are both beloved worldwide. But not everyone knows the meaning of the word.

Professor Alice Roberts has wowed fans after revealing just where the word comes from. The origin is 'obvious' once you know the answer, so be warned you'll probably kick yourself for not working it out sooner.

You'll likely feel especially miffed if you count yourself as a linguist.

As the academic, writer and broadcaster revealed on Twitter, turquoise means Turkish. But don't feel too bad if you've only just realised.

"All these years… I had not realised that turquoise meant 'Turkish'!" Professor Roberts' post revealed. She wasn't the only one either.

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"I'll be using this fact extensively over the next few days," said one stunned responder. Another added: "As a lifelong learner of French, I can't believe this passed me by for so long. I mean it's literally right there."

Someone else revealed: "I was today years old when I learned this."

And a different commenter confessed: "We had a Turkish restaurant in Wrexham called The Turquoise kitchen, and I never realised either."

"Obvious now you say it," read a popular response. Prof Roberts agreed: "Isn't it!"

Explaining the etymology of the word, Merriam-Webster's online dictionary states: "Before turquoise described a greenish-blue color, it described a mineral of that color."

The entry adds: "The mineral known as turquoise is one that we commonly associate with the American southwest and mines in Arizona and New Mexico. Long before that, however, turquoise was mined from the Sinai Peninsula; the region of Sinai was known as Mafkat ('country of turquoise') to the ancient Egyptians.

"It is believed that the mineral was then transported to the west through Turkey; the French word turquois means 'Turkish'."

Hence the word we all know today - and now know more about.

Amber O'Connor