jade

Etymology 1

Borrowed from French le jade, rebracketing of earlier l’éjade (“jade”), from Spanish piedra de ijada (“flank stone”), via Vulgar Latin *iliata from Latin ilia (“flank”). (Jade was thought to cure pains in the side.)

noun

1. A semiprecious stone, either nephrite or jadeite, generally green or white in color, often used for carving figurines.
   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. 2012-03, Lee A. Groat, “Gemstones”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 2012-06-14, page 128
2. A bright shade of slightly bluish or greyish green, typical of polished jade stones.
   jade:
3. A succulent plant, Crassula ovata.

adj

1. Of a grayish shade of green, typical of jade stones.

Etymology 2

From Middle English jade, chade, either a variant of yaud or merely influenced by it. Yaud derives from Old Norse jalda (“mare”), from a Uralic language, such as Moksha эльде (eľďe) or Erzya эльде (eľďe). See yaud for more.

noun

1. A horse too old to be put to work.
   The king had no other horse to give him but an old jade, for his six brothers and their men had taken all the other horses, but Ashiepattle did not mind that; he mounted the shabby old nag. 1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H. L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 55
2. (especially derogatory) A bad-tempered or disreputable woman.

verb

1. To fatigue, tire, or weary (someone or something).
2. (obsolete) To treat (someone or something) like a jade; to spurn.
3. (obsolete) To make (someone or something) contemptible and ridiculous.