Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend

A kiss on the hand may be quite continental,

but diamonds are a girl's best friend.

                                                   --Sung by Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,

                          Written by Jule Styne and Leo Robin

photo copied from thefilmprilgrim.com

The birthstone for April is the diamond,

clear and sparkling, glittering like fire.

I've always loved the way they reflect the light.

photo from morguefile.com

Many web sites attribute certain symbolism  and meanings to the word diamond,

none of which I've been able to substantiate so far.

They sound good though. 

One website claims that diamond in Greek 

diamanti means "invincible."

Dia- is actually a prefix in Greek which means "through,"

so perhaps the idea of its invincibility is more recent.

Another claims that diamond in Sanskrit vajra, means "thunderbolt."

rose with pink diamond, morguefile.com

According to the Oxford English Dictionary and etymonline.com,

the word diamond lacks any such esoteric meaning or symbolism.

Its Latin root adamas was merely the name for a gem, and for a time the word 

was also used to refer to lodestone, which is magnetic.

I'm glad that diamond is reserved for the sparkling, glittering gem

and no longer refers to lodestones.

Marilyn Monroe singing about magnetized lodestones 

just wouldn't have the same charm.

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