blood diamond: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1-C2Formal, Academic, Journalistic, Activist.
Quick answer
What does “blood diamond” mean?
A diamond mined in a war zone and sold to finance an insurgency, invading army, or warlord's activities, often under conditions of violent conflict and human rights abuses.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A diamond mined in a war zone and sold to finance an insurgency, invading army, or warlord's activities, often under conditions of violent conflict and human rights abuses.
More broadly, any natural resource or commodity whose extraction or trade is linked to conflict, violence, and exploitation, serving as a metaphor for goods tainted by human suffering. The term also appears in political and ethical discourse to criticize exploitative practices.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. The term is used identically in both varieties. The phrase 'conflict diamond' is a more formal synonym used interchangeably, particularly in official contexts like UN resolutions.
Connotations
Identically strong negative connotations in both varieties, associated with war crimes, exploitation, and unethical trade.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in British media and NGO discourse historically, due to earlier prominence of campaigns like Global Witness. Now equally common in international English.
Grammar
How to Use “blood diamond” in a Sentence
The [armed group] financed [its war] with blood diamonds.The [UN] sought to ban the trade in blood diamonds.[Company X] was accused of dealing in blood diamonds.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “blood diamond” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The blood-diamond trade has devastating consequences.
- They investigated the blood-diamond funding.
American English
- The blood diamond trade has devastating consequences.
- They investigated the blood diamond funding.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in compliance, ethics, and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) reports: 'Our supply chain is audited to exclude blood diamonds.'
Academic
Used in political science, international relations, and development studies: 'The dissertation examines the political economy of blood diamonds in West Africa.'
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation; appears in discussions about ethics, movies, or news: 'Have you seen that film about blood diamonds?'
Technical
Used in gemology and international law, often within the framework of the 'Kimberley Process Certification Scheme' aimed at curbing the trade.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “blood diamond”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “blood diamond”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “blood diamond”
- Using it as an adjective for a diamond's colour (e.g., 'She wore a blood diamond ring' could be misinterpreted).
- Confusing it with 'synthetic diamond' or 'lab-grown diamond', which are ethical alternatives, not synonyms.
- Spelling as a single word: 'blooddiamond' (should be two words or hyphenated: blood-diamond).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, they are synonyms. 'Conflict diamond' is the more formal term used in official documents (e.g., UN definitions), while 'blood diamond' is a more graphic term common in journalism and public discourse.
Their trade is illegal under international frameworks like the Kimberley Process. However, they are often smuggled and 'laundered' into legal markets with false certification, making them difficult to track.
The term specifically refers to diamonds mined and sold to finance a contemporary conflict. Once the conflict ends, diamonds from the same region may no longer be labelled as such, though the ethical legacy and need for reparations remain important issues.
Buy from reputable jewelers who provide a Kimberley Process certificate guaranteeing the diamond's conflict-free origin. Increasingly, consumers opt for lab-grown diamonds or vintage/second-hand diamonds to avoid any ethical concerns.
A diamond mined in a war zone and sold to finance an insurgency, invading army, or warlord's activities, often under conditions of violent conflict and human rights abuses.
Blood diamond is usually formal, academic, journalistic, activist. in register.
Blood diamond: in British English it is pronounced /ˈblʌd ˌdaɪ.mənd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈblʌd ˌdaɪ.mənd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a beautiful diamond with a red, blood-like stain that cannot be washed off, symbolising the violence behind its origin.
Conceptual Metaphor
BLOOD IS GUILT / BLOOD IS THE PRICE. The commodity is metaphorically stained with the blood of victims, making its beauty morally corrupt.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary purpose of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme?