Where does “Emery” come from?

Emery comes from Old French emerie, from Medieval Latin smiris, from Greek smýris meaning a hard abrasive substance, ultimately from Proto-Germanic amal.

Emery (English): today often transferred back from the surname

Definitions

today often transferred back from the surname

Ancestry of “Emery”, step by step

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	French	émeri	emery
2	Old French	esmeril	—
3	Italian	smeriglio	emery; merlin; Synonym of sparviero
4	Greek	σμερίλιον	—
5	Ancient Greek	σμερί	—
6	Ancient Greek	σμύρις	emery-powder, used by lapidaries

Words derived from “Emery”

Emerson
Emersonian
Emmerson
Emerie
emerize
Emersonism
Emersonianism

Every word from Ancient Greek σμύρις →Every word from Ancient Greek σμερί →Every word from Greek σμερίλιον →