amethyst

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word amethyst. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word amethyst, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say amethyst in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word amethyst you have here. The definition of the word amethyst will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofamethyst, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
See also: Amethyst
Amethyst (gemstone).

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

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/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

amethyst (plural amethysts)

  1. A transparent purple to violet variety of quartz with traces of manganese, used as a gemstone.
    • 2012 March, Lee A. Groat, “Gemstones”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 14 June 2012, 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:  
  3. (heraldry) The tincture purpure, when blazoning by precious stones.
    • 1726, John Guillim, The Banner Display'd, page 407:
      The Field is Topaz, a Lion rampant Amethyst [...]
    • 1834, The Art of Heraldry; Explaining the Origin and Use of Arms and Armorial Bearings, Etc, page 14:
      Purple, on the arms of princes Mercury, of peers amethyst, and of commoners purpure, [is represented] by diagonal lines from the sinister chief to the dexter base.
    • 1906 (printed), The Beetham Repository, 1770 (eds. William Hutton, John Rawlinson Ford), page 115:
      1st & 4th grand Quarter alike viz. Field Pearl, on a bend Sapphire 3 Buckheads, coup'd topaz for Stanley. The 2d Quarter, Field Sapphire with an inverted Chief, amethyst. The 3d, A Checque topaz & Amethyst, this seems prior to Bosworth field, to have belong'd to Sr Robt Goushill whose Dr a Stanley married

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Adjective

amethyst (comparative more amethyst, superlative most amethyst)

  1. Having a colour similar to that of the gemstone

Translations

See also

Further reading

  • David Barthelmy (1997–2024) “Amethyst”, in Webmineral Mineralogy Database.
  • amethyst”, in Mindat.org, Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, 2000–2024.
  • The Manual of Heraldry, Fifth Edition, by Anonymous, London, 1862, online at

Welsh

Welsh Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia cy

Etymology

From English amethyst.

Pronunciation

Noun

amethyst m (plural amethystau)

  1. amethyst

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical soft nasal h-prothesis
amethyst unchanged unchanged hamethyst
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

  • R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “amethyst”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies