tiger's-eye: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Specialised/Formal
Quick answer
What does “tiger's-eye” mean?
A semi-precious gemstone, a variety of quartz with a chatoyant band of golden-yellow to brown colour that resembles the eye of a tiger when polished.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A semi-precious gemstone, a variety of quartz with a chatoyant band of golden-yellow to brown colour that resembles the eye of a tiger when polished.
1. A decorative material used in jewellery, ornaments, and inlays. 2. A colour resembling that of the gemstone. 3. In some contexts, a metaphor for something that is watchful, gleaming, or has a striped, cat-like appearance.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling and hyphenation are consistent. Pronunciation may show minor vowel variations.
Connotations
Neutral in both; denotes a specific gemstone without cultural bias.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both variants, confined to contexts of jewellery, gemology, and decorative arts.
Grammar
How to Use “tiger's-eye” in a Sentence
made of tiger's-eyeset with tiger's-eyecarved from tiger's-eyeVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “tiger's-eye” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The brooch had a distinctive tiger's-eye clasp.
American English
- She preferred a tiger's-eye finish on the decorative box.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in the jewellery trade when describing materials and pricing gemstones.
Academic
Appears in geology, mineralogy, and archaeology texts describing mineral types or artefacts.
Everyday
Mostly used when discussing jewellery, crystals, or decorative items.
Technical
A specific term in gemology for a silicified, fibrous crocidolite exhibiting chatoyancy.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “tiger's-eye”
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “tiger's-eye”
- Misspelling as 'tigerseye', 'tigers eye', or 'tiger-eye' (though 'tiger eye' is a common variant). Incorrect pluralisation as 'tiger's-eyes' (acceptable) vs. 'tiger's-eye' (as an uncountable material).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In standard reference works and gemological texts, the hyphenated form with an apostrophe is most common, though 'tiger eye' (open) is also widely used, especially in commercial contexts.
Yes, though it's a specialised usage. It describes a rich, golden-brown colour with a slight shimmer, e.g., 'The fabric was a deep tiger's-eye.'
It is classified as a semi-precious gemstone, a variety of quartz. It is not among the traditional 'precious' gems like diamond, ruby, sapphire, or emerald.
They are all chatoyant quartz varieties. Tiger's-eye is golden to brown. Hawk's-eye is blue-grey (unoxidised crocidolite fibres). Bull's-eye is a deeper red-brown variety of tiger's-eye, often from heat treatment.
A semi-precious gemstone, a variety of quartz with a chatoyant band of golden-yellow to brown colour that resembles the eye of a tiger when polished.
Tiger's-eye is usually specialised/formal in register.
Tiger's-eye: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtaɪɡəz ˌaɪ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtaɪɡɚz ˌaɪ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a TIGER's fierce EYE, captured and polished into a shining, golden-brown stone.
Conceptual Metaphor
WATCHFULNESS/PERCEPTION (from the 'eye'); VALUE (as a semi-precious stone); NATURAL BEAUTY.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of tiger's-eye?