Amethyst Definition
ămə-thĭst
amethysts
noun
A purple or violet form of transparent quartz used as a gemstone.
American Heritage
A purple or violet variety of quartz, used in jewelry.
Webster's New World
A purple variety of corundum used as a gemstone.
American Heritage
A purple variety of corundum, used in jewelry.
Webster's New World
A moderate purple to grayish reddish purple.
American Heritage
adjective
Having a colour similar to that of the gemstone.
Wiktionary
Other Word Forms of Amethyst
Noun
Singular:
amethystPlural:
amethystsOrigin of Amethyst
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Middle English amatist from Old French from Latin amethystus from Greek amethustos not drunk or intoxicating, remedy for intoxication, amethyst a- not a–1 methuskein to intoxicate (from methuein to be drunk) (from methu wine medhu- in Indo-European roots)
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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Middle English ametist, from Old French ametiste (French améthyste), from Ancient Greek ἀμέθυστος (amethustos, “not drunk”), from ἀ- (a-, “not”) + μεθύω (methuō, “I am drunk”), from μέθυ (methu, “wine”). The Greeks believed that the amethyst prevented intoxication.
From Wiktionary
