sap|phire

sap|phire
sap|phire «SAF yr», noun, adjective.
–n.
1. a) a bright-blue precious stone that is hard and clear like a diamond. It is a variety of corundum. b) Figurative: »

Orselli considered the stars, each shining with a separate glory: golden Dubhe, blue Denebola, Vega the pale sapphire (Henry Morton Robinson).

2. the color of the sapphire; bright blue.
3. a gem-quality corundum of any other color except red (commonly prefixed by the color): »

a pink sapphire.

–adj.
1. bright-blue: »

a sapphire gown, a sapphire sky.

2. made or consisting of a sapphire or sapphires: »

a sapphire brooch.

[< Old French safir, learned borrowing from Latin saphīrus < Greek sáppheiros < Semitic (compare Hebrew sappīr) < Sanskrit sani-priya sapphire; dear to the planet Saturn]

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • sap|phire|ber|ry — «SAF yr BEHR ee», noun, plural ries. a small tree native to Japan and China with fragrant white flowers and bright blue fruit …   Useful english dictionary

  • sap·phire — /ˈsæˌfajɚ/ noun, pl phires 1 [count, noncount] : a clear, usually deep blue jewel 2 [noncount] : a deep blue color …   Useful english dictionary

  • phire — sam·phire; cam·phire; sap·phire; …   English syllables

  • sap — phy·sap·o·da; SAP; sap·a·jou; sap; sap·ful; sap·id; sap·in·da·ce·ae; sap·in·da·les; sap·less; sap·ling; sap·ling·hood; sap·o·dil·la; sap·o·gen·in; sap·o·na·ceous; sap·o·nar·ia; sap·o·nary; sap·o·nat·ed; sap·o·nin; sap·o·nite; sap·o·rif·ic;… …   English syllables

  • sapphire — sap·phire …   English syllables

  • sapphire — sap|phire [ˈsæfaıə US faır] n [U and C] [Date: 1200 1300; : Old French; Origin: safir, from Latin, from Greek, from Hebrew sappir, from Sanskrit sanipriya dear to the planet Saturn ] a transparent bright blue jewel …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • sapphire — sap|phire [ sæ,faır ] noun 1. ) count or uncount a hard clear blue stone, used in expensive jewelry 2. ) uncount the color of a sapphire …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • sapphire — sap•phire [[t]ˈsæf aɪər[/t]] n. 1) mir any gem variety of corundum other than the ruby, esp. one of the blue varieties 2) jew a gem of this kind 3) the deep blue color of this gem 4) deep blue • Etymology: 1225–75; ME safir < OF < L… …   From formal English to slang

  • Al2O3 — 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,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Asteriated sapphire — 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,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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