ruby

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English

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A ruby (gem).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɹuː.bi/
  • Rhymes: -uːbi
  • (file)

Etymology 1

From Middle English ruby, rube, from Old French rubi, from Medieval Latin rubīnus.

Noun

ruby (countable and uncountable, plural rubies)

  1. A clear, deep, red variety of corundum, valued as a precious stone.
    • 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 diamond, ruby and sapphire, emerald and other gem forms of the mineral beryl, chrysoberyl, tanzanite, tsavorite, topaz and jade.
  2. (obsolete) A red spinel.
  3. (color) A deep red colour.
    ruby:  
  4. (heraldry) The tincture red or gules.
    • 1720, Francis Nichols, Rudiments of Honour, page 296:
      Elgin. Topaz a Saltier and Chief Ruby, on a Canton Pearl a Lyon Rampant Saphyr, which last is their paternal Coat; and the Field Topaz, and Saltier, and Chief Ruby, was the Arms of King Robert the Bruce, they altering the Field from Pearl (as he bore it) to Topaz.
    • 1726, John Guillim, The Banner Display'd; Or, an Abridgment of Guillim, page 504:
      The Field is Ruby, on a Bend Topaz, three Martlets Diamond. [...] Checkie Topaz and Saphire, a Fesse within a Bordure Ruby, by the Name of Clifford.
    • 1754, John Lodge, The Peerage of Ireland; Or, a Genealogical History of the ..., page 71:
      (1) Pearl, a Cross, Ruby, with the Effigies of our Saviour thereon, Topaz, born in Memory of one of the Family's fighting against the Turks. (2) Topaz, a Chief Indented, Saphire. (3) Ruby, three covered Cups, Topaz [...]
  5. (uncountable, printing, UK, dated) The size of type between pearl and nonpareil, standardized as 5½-point.
    Synonym: (US) agate
  6. A ruby hummer, a South American hummingbird, Clytolaema rubricauda.
  7. A red bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea rubra.
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations

Adjective

ruby (comparative more ruby, superlative most ruby)

  1. Of a deep red colour.
Translations

Verb

ruby (third-person singular simple present rubies, present participle rubying, simple past and past participle rubied)

  1. (transitive, poetic) To make red; to redden.

See also

Further reading

  • David Barthelmy (1997–2024), “Ruby”, in Webmineral Mineralogy Database.
  • ruby”, in Mindat.org, Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, 2000–2024.

Etymology 2

From the British 5½-point type size ruby (etymology 1), used for annotations in printed documents.

Noun

ruby (plural rubies)

  1. (typography) A pronunciation guide written above or beside Chinese characters.
Alternative forms
Descendants
  • Japanese: ルビ (rubi)
Translations

See also

Further reading

Anagrams

Czech

Pronunciation

Noun

ruby

  1. nominative/accusative/vocative/instrumental plural of rub

Middle English

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Old French rubi, itself borrowed from Latin rubeus.

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈriu̯biː/, /ˈriu̯beː/

Noun

ruby (plural rubies)

  1. A ruby (red precious stone)
  2. (figuratively) A precious individual.
Descendants
References

Etymology 2

Verb

ruby

  1. Alternative form of robben

Silesian

Alternative forms

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *grubъ.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈrubɨ/
  • Rhymes: -ubɨ
  • Syllabification: ru‧by

Adjective

ruby

  1. fat, thick

Declension

Further reading