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sapphiremore about sapphire

sapphire

 

  5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Sapphire  \Sap"phire\  (?  or  ?;  277),  n.  [OE.  saphir,  F.  saphir, 
  L.  sapphirus  Gr  ?,  of  Oriental  origin;  cf  Heb.  sapp[=i]r.] 
  1.  (Min.)  Native  alumina  or  aluminium  sesquioxide,  {Al2O3}; 
  corundum;  esp.,  the  blue  transparent  variety  of  corundum, 
  highly  prized  as  a  gem. 
 
  Of  rubies,  sapphires,  and  of  pearl['e]s  white. 
  --Chaucer. 
 
  Note:  Sapphire  occurs  in  hexagonal  crystals  and  also  in 
  granular  and  massive  forms.  The  name  sapphire  is 
  usually  restricted  to  the  blue  crystals,  while  the 
  bright  red  crystals  are  called  Oriental  rubies  (see 
  under  {Ruby}),  the  amethystine  variety  Oriental 
  amethyst  (see  under  {Amethyst}),  and  the  dull  massive 
  varieties  corundum  (a  name  which  is  also  used  as  a 
  general  term  to  include  all  varieties).  See  {Corundum}. 
 
  2.  The  color  of  the  gem;  bright  blue. 
 
  3.  (Zo["o]l.)  Any  humming  bird  of  the  genus  {Hylocharis}, 
  native  of  South  America.  The  throat  and  breast  are  usually 
  bright  blue. 
 
  {Star  sapphire},  or  {Asteriated  sapphire}  (Min.),  a  kind  of 
  sapphire  which  exhibits  asterism. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Sapphire  \Sap"phire\,  a. 
  Of  or  resembling  sapphire;  sapphirine;  blue.  ``The  sapphire 
  blaze.''  --Gray. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  sapphire 
  adj  :  having  the  color  of  a  blue  sapphire;  "sapphire  eyes" 
  n  1:  a  precious  transparent  stone  of  rich  blue  corundum  valued  as 
  a  gemstone 
  2:  a  transparent  piece  of  sapphire  that  has  been  cut  and 
  polished  and  is  valued  as  a  precious  gem 
  3:  a  light  shade  of  blue  [syn:  {azure},  {cerulean},  {lazuline}, 
  {sky-blue}] 
 
  From  U.S.  Gazetteer  (1990)  [gazetteer]: 
 
  Sapphire,  NC 
  Zip  code(s):  28774 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Sapphire 
  Associated  with  diamonds  (Ex.  28:18)  and  emeralds  (Ezek.  28:13); 
  one  of  the  stones  in  the  high  priest's  breastplate.  It  is  a 
  precious  stone  of  a  sky-blue  colour,  probably  the  lapis  lazuli, 
  brought  from  Babylon.  The  throne  of  God  is  described  as  of  the 
  colour  of  a  sapphire  (Ex.  24:10;  comp.  Ezek.  1:26).




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