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Webster 1913 Edition

Amethyst

Am′e-thyst

,
[F.
ametiste
,
amatiste
, F.
améthyste
, L.
amethystus
, fr. Gr. [GREEK] without drunkenness; as a noun, a remedy for drunkenness, the amethyst, supposed to have this power;
ἀ
priv. + [GREEK] to be drunken, [GREEK] strong drink, wine. See
Mead
.]
1.
(Min.)
A variety of crystallized quartz, of a purple or bluish violet color, of different shades. It is much used as a jeweler’s stone.
Oriental amethyst
,
the violet-blue variety of transparent crystallized corundum or sapphire.
2.
(Her.)
A purple color in a nobleman's escutcheon, or coat of arms.

Webster 1828 Edition

Amethyst

AM'ETHYST

,
Noun.
[L. amethystus; Gr. which the Greeks supposed to be formed from a neg. and to inebriate, from some supposed quality in the stone of resisting intoxication. Plin. 37.9, mentions an opinion that it takes its name from its color approaching that of wine, but not reaching it.]
A sub-species of quartz, of a violet blue color, of different degrees of intensity. It generally occurs crystallized in hexahedral prisms or pyramids; also in rolled fragments, composed of imperfect prismatic crystals. Its fracture is conchoidal or splintery. It is wrought into various articles of jewelry.

AM'ETHYST

, in heraldry, signifies a purple color. It is the same, in a nobelman's escutcheon, as purpure, in a gentleman's and mercury, in that of a prince.

Definition 2024

Amethyst

Amethyst

See also: amethyst

English

Proper noun

Amethyst

  1. A female given name

German

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ameˈtʏst/

Noun

Amethyst m ‎(genitive Amethysts or Amethystes, plural Amethyste)

  1. amethyst

Declension

Derived terms

  • amethysten
  • amethystfarben

amethyst

amethyst

Amethyst (gemstone).
See also: Amethyst

English

Noun

amethyst ‎(plural amethysts)

  1. A transparent purple variety of quartz, used as a gemstone.
    • 2012 March 1, Lee A. Groat, “Gemstones”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, page 128:
      Although there are dozens of different types of gems, among the best known and most important are […] . (Common gem materials not addressed in this article include amber, amethyst, chalcedony, garnet, lazurite, malachite, opals, peridot, rhodonite, spinel, tourmaline, turquoise and zircon.)
  2. (uncountable) A purple colour.
    amethyst colour:    
  3. (heraldry) The purple tincture when emblazoning the arms of the English nobility.

Translations

Adjective

amethyst ‎(comparative more amethyst, superlative most amethyst)

  1. Having a colour similar to that of the gemstone

Translations

See also

  • Appendix:Colors

Etymology

From Middle English ametist, from Old French ametiste (French améthyste), from Ancient Greek ἀμέθυστος ‎(améthustos, “not drunk”), from ἀ- ‎(a-, “not”) + μεθύω ‎(methúō, “I am drunk”), from μέθυ ‎(méthu, “wine”). The Greeks believed that the amethyst prevented intoxication.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈæm.ə.θɪst/

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