gar·net¹ (gär'nĭt)
n.

1. Any of several common, widespread aluminum or calcium silicate minerals occurring in two internally isomorphic series, (Mg, Mn, Fe)₃Al₂Si₃O₁₂ and Ca₃(Cr, Al, Fe)₂Si₃O₁₂, generally crystallized, often embedded in igneous and metamorphic rocks, and colored red, brown, black, green, yellow, or white and used both as gemstones and as abrasives.
2. A dark to very dark red.

[Middle English, from Old French grenate, from grenat, pomegranate-red, probably from Latin grānātum, pomegranate, from neuter of grānātus, seedy. See pomegranate.]

gar·net² (gär'nĭt)
n. Nautical
A tackle for hoisting light cargo.

[Middle English garnett, probably from Middle Dutch garnāt.]

---

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

---