Asteriated sapphire
(gcide) | Sapphire \Sap"phire\ (? or ?; 277), n. [OE. saphir, F. saphir,
L. sapphirus, Gr. ?, of Oriental origin; cf. Heb.
sapp[imac]r.]
1. (Min.) Native alumina or aluminium sesquioxide, Al2O3;
corundum; esp., the blue transparent variety of corundum,
highly prized as a gem.
[1913 Webster]
Of rubies, sapphires, and of pearl['e]s white.
--Chaucer.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
2. The color of the gem; bright blue.
[1913 Webster]
3. (Zool.) Any humming bird of the genus Hylocharis, native
of South America. The throat and breast are usually bright
blue.
[1913 Webster]
Star sapphire, or Asteriated sapphire (Min.), a kind of
sapphire which exhibits asterism.
[1913 Webster] |