What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

What is the difference between nonpareil and emerald?

nonpareil | emerald |

As adjectives the difference between nonpareil and emerald

is that nonpareil is unequalled, unrivalled; unique while emerald is of a rich green colour.

As nouns the difference between nonpareil and emerald

is that nonpareil is a person or thing that has no equal; a paragon while emerald is any of various green gemstones, especially a green transparent form of beryl, highly valued as a precious stone.

As a proper noun Emerald is

a town in Queensland, Australia.

nonpareil

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Unequalled, unrivalled; unique.
  • * 1996 , (David Foster Wallace), Infinite Jest , Abacus 2013, p. 33:
  • A veritable artist, possessed of a deftness nonpareil with cotton swab and evacuation-hypo, the medical attaché is known among the shrinking upper classes of petro-Arab nations as the DeBakey of maxillofacial yeast […].

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person or thing that has no equal; a paragon.
  • * c.1599-1601 , (William Shakespeare), Twelfth Night; or, What You Will ,
  • My lord and master loves you. O, such love / Could be but recompens'd though you were crown'd / The nonpareil of beauty!
  • * , III.2.2.ii:
  • King John of France, once prisoner in England, came […] to see the Countess of Salisbury, the nonpareil of those times, and his dear mistress.
  • A small pellet of colored sugar used as decoration on baked goods and candy.
  • A small, flat chocolate drop covered with white pellets of sugar, similar to a comfit.
  • (obsolete, printing) A type size between minion and agate or ruby (roughly 6pt); nonpareille.
  • * 1881 May 19, Hermann Cohn, ,
  • I believe that letters which are less than a millimetre and a half (1/17 inch) high, will finally prove injurious to the eye. How little attention has hitherto been paid to this important subject is exemplified in the fact that even oculistic journals and books frequently contain nonpareil , or letters only a millimetre (1/25 inch) high.

    See also

    * (Nonpareils) *

    Synonyms

    * (pellet of colored sugar) * hundreds and thousands ((UK), Australian'', ''plural only ) * sprinkles (probably US'', ''plural only )

    emerald

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Of a rich green colour.
  • * Byron
  • The insect-queen of eastern spring, / O'er emerald meadows of Kashmeer / Invites the young pursuer near, / And leads him on from flower to flower / A weary chase and wasted hour.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Any of various green gemstones, especially a green transparent form of beryl, highly valued as a precious stone.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2012-03
  • , author=Lee A. Groat , title=Gemstones , volume=100, issue=2, page=128 , magazine=(American Scientist) citation , passage=Although there are dozens of different types of gems, among the best known and most important are diamond, ruby and sapphire, emerald and other gem forms of the mineral beryl, chrysoberyl, tanzanite, tsavorite, topaz and jade.}}
  • Emerald green, a colour.
  • (dated, UK, printing) A kind of type, in size between minion and nonpareil.
  • Derived terms

    * Emerald * emerald cut * emerald green * Emerald Isle

    See also

    * beryl