What does "emery" mean?
An impure type of corundum, often used for sanding or polishing.
Emery
/ˈɛm(ə)ɹi/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An impure type of corundum, often used for sanding or polishing.
- Grammar: emery is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: abrasive, abrasive, abrasive powder, abrasives.
- Useful contrasts: smoothness, softness.
- Usage evidence: Tom used a piece of emery to smooth the rough edge of the metal.
How to use "emery"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "emery" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "emery" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "emery" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "emery" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "emery" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abrasive" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "emery", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An impure type of corundum, often used for sanding or polishing. uncountable, usually
"It took me from nine to ten days to grind and polish it ready for parabolising and silvering. I did this by hand labour with the aid of emery, but without a lathe. I finally used rouge instead of emery in grinding down the glass, until I could see my face in the mirror quite plain."
- 2 a hard grey-black mineral consisting of corundum and either hematite or magnetite; used as an abrasive (especially as a coating on paper) wordnet
Verb
- 1 To sand or polish with emery. transitive
- 2 To coat with emery. transitive
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname transferred from the given name.
- 2 A male given name from the Germanic languages, today often transferred back from the surname.
- 3 A female given name transferred from the surname, of 2000s usage, also associated with the mineral emery.
- 4 A place in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Graham County, Arizona.
- 5 A place in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Macon County, Illinois.
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 A place in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Northfield Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan.
- 7 A place in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Montgomery County, North Carolina.
- 8 A place in the United States:; A ghost town in Dover Township, Fulton County, Ohio.
- 9 A place in the United States:; A minor city in Hanson County, South Dakota.
- 10 A place in the United States:; A town in Emery County, Utah.
- 11 A place in the United States:; A town in Price County, Wisconsin.
- 12 Synonym of Humbermede, Toronto, Canada.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Tom used a piece of emery to smooth the rough edge of the metal."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "emery"?
Common synonyms include: abrasive, abrasive, abrasive powder, abrasives, alabaster, aluminum oxide.
How do you use "emery" in a sentence?
Tom used a piece of emery to smooth the rough edge of the metal.
How do you pronounce "emery"?
Pronounced /ˈɛm(ə)ɹi/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From French émeri, from Old French esmeril, from Italian smeriglio.
Etymology 2
From medieval Germanic personal names, either a variant of Amory, from Amalric, Proto-Germanic *amal (“vigor, bravery”) (compare *ammōną) + Old High German rīhhi (“ruler”), or of Henry, from Old High German Heimrich, from heim (“home”) + rīhhi (“ruler”).