onyx

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English

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Etymology

From Middle English onix (c. 1300), earlier oniche (c. 1250), from Old French oniche or onix, from Latin onyx, from Ancient Greek ὄνυξ (ónux, onyx). Doublet of unguis.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɒnɪks/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -ɒnɪks

Noun

onyx (countable and uncountable, plural onyxes)

  1. (mineralogy) A banded variety of chalcedony, a cryptocrystalline form of quartz.
    • 2023 September 23, Tom Robbins, “Suite dreams”, in FT Weekend, Life & Arts, page 1:
      People talk about using marble in the bathrooms. Marble wasn't good enough for use—we have onyx!
  2. A jet-black color, named after the gemstone.
    onyx:  
  3. Any of various lycaenid butterflies of the genus Horaga.

Derived terms

Black banded onyx

Translations

Adjective

onyx (not comparable)

  1. jet-black
    • , Genesis, 2:12
      And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.
    • 1922, Michael Arlen, “3/7/2”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days:
      There was no moon, only stars set brilliantly in the soft black onyx of the sky : a black night and very silent on Cimiez ; and a black and silent prospect from the verandah []

See also

References

  1. ^ Chambers Dictionary of Etymology, Robert K. Barnhart (ed.), Chambers, 1988

Latin

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ὄνυξ (ónux, nail).

Pronunciation

Noun

onyx m (genitive onychis); third declension

  1. onyx, yellow marble
  2. A yellowish precious stone
  3. The female of a mussel of the scallop species

Declension

Third-declension noun.

Case Singular Plural
Nominative onyx onychēs
Genitive onychis onychum
Dative onychī onychibus
Accusative onychem onychēs
Ablative onyche onychibus
Vocative onyx onychēs

References

  • onyx”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • onyx”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • onyx”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • onyx”, in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin

Middle English

Noun

onyx (uncountable)

  1. Alternative form of oniche

Portuguese

Noun

onyx m (invariable)

  1. Pre-reform spelling (until Brazil 1943/Portugal 1911) of ónix.