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amethyst
(am′i t̸hist)
noun
- a purple or violet variety of quartz, used in jewelry
- popularly a purple variety of corundum, used in jewelry
- purple or violet
Origin: ME ametist < OFr ametiste < L amethystus < Gr amethystos, not drunken (the Greeks believed that the amethyst prevented intoxication) < a-, not + methystos, drunken < methyein, to be drunken < methy, strong drink < IE *medhu-, honey, mead
Related Forms:
- amethystine adjective
See amethyst in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
- A purple or violet form of transparent quartz used as a gemstone.
- A purple variety of corundum used as a gemstone.
- A moderate purple to grayish reddish purple.
Origin:
Origin: Middle English amatist
Origin: , from Old French
Origin: , from Latin amethystus
Origin: , from Greek amethustos, not drunk or intoxicating, remedy for intoxication, amethyst
Origin: : a-, not; see a-1
Origin: + *methuskein, to intoxicate (from methuein, to be drunk, from methu, wine; see medhu- in Indo-European roots)
.Related Forms:
- amˌe·thysˈtine (-thĭsˈtĭn, -tīnˌ) adjective
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