- Sino-
- comb. form meaning "Chinese," 1879, from L.L. Sinĉ (pl.) "the Chinese," from Ptolemaic Gk. Sinai, from Arabic Sin "China," probably from Chinese Ch'in, name of the fourth dynasty of China (see China).
- turquoise
- precious stone, 1560s, replacement from M.Fr. of M.E. turkeis, turtogis (late 14c.), from O.Fr. turqueise, fem. adj. "Turkish," in pierre turqueise "Turkish stone," so called because it was first brought to Europe from Turkestan or some other Turkish dominion (Sinai peninsula, according to one theory). Cognate with Sp. turquesa, M.L. (lapis) turchesius, M.Du. turcoys, Ger. türkis, Swed. turkos. As a color name, attested from 1853.