Amethyst

14 definitions retrieved

Amethyst \Am"e*thyst\, [F. ametiste, amatiste, F. am['e]thyste,
L. amethystus, fr. Gr. ? without drunkenness; as a noun, a
remedy for drunkenness, the amethyst, supposed to have this
power; 'a priv. + ? to be drunken, ? strong drink, wine. See
Mead.]
[1913 Webster]

1. (Min.) A variety of crystallized quartz, of a purple or
bluish violet color, of different shades. It is much used
as a jeweler's stone.
[1913 Webster]

Oriental amethyst, the violet-blue variety of transparent
crystallized corundum or sapphire.
[1913 Webster]

2. (Her.) A purple color in a nobleman's escutcheon, or coat
of arms.
[1913 Webster]
colorful \colorful\ adj.

1. having striking color. Opposite of colorless.

Note: [Narrower terms: {changeable, chatoyant, iridescent,
shot}; deep, rich; flaming; fluorescent, glowing;
prismatic; psychedelic; {red, ruddy, flushed,
empurpled}]

Syn: colourful.
[WordNet 1.5]

2. striking in variety and interest. Opposite of colorless
or dull. [Narrower terms: brave, fine, gay, glorious;
flamboyant, resplendent, unrestrained; {flashy, gaudy,
jazzy, showy, snazzy, sporty}; picturesque]
[WordNet 1.5]

3. having color or a certain color; not black, white or grey;
as, colored crepe paper. Opposite of colorless and
monochrome.

Note: [Narrower terms: tinted; touched, tinged; {amber,
brownish-yellow, yellow-brown}; amethyst; {auburn,
reddish-brown}; aureate, gilded, gilt, gold, golden;
azure, cerulean, sky-blue, bright blue; {bicolor,
bicolour, bicolored, bicoloured, bichrome}; {blue,
bluish, light-blue, dark-blue}; {blushful,
blush-colored, rosy}; bottle-green; bronze, bronzy;
brown, brownish, dark-brown; buff; {canary,
canary-yellow}; caramel, caramel brown; carnation;
chartreuse; chestnut; dun; {earth-colored,
earthlike}; fuscous; {green, greenish, light-green,
dark-green}; jade, jade-green; khaki; {lavender,
lilac}; mauve; moss green, mosstone; {motley,
multicolor, culticolour, multicolored, multicoloured,
painted, particolored, particoloured, piebald, pied,
varicolored, varicoloured}; mousy, mouse-colored;
ocher, ochre; olive-brown; olive-drab; olive;
orange, orangish; peacock-blue; pink, pinkish;
purple, violet, purplish; {red, blood-red, carmine,
cerise, cherry, cherry-red, crimson, ruby, ruby-red,
scarlet}; red, reddish; rose, roseate; rose-red;
rust, rusty, rust-colored; {snuff, snuff-brown,
snuff-color, snuff-colour, snuff-colored,
snuff-coloured, mummy-brown, chukker-brown}; {sorrel,
brownish-orange}; stone, stone-gray; {straw-color,
straw-colored, straw-coloured}; tan; tangerine;
tawny; ultramarine; umber; {vermilion,
vermillion, cinibar, Chinese-red}; yellow, yellowish;
yellow-green; avocado; bay; beige; {blae
bluish-black or gray-blue)}; coral; creamy; {cress
green, cresson, watercress}; hazel; {honey,
honey-colored}; hued(postnominal); magenta;
maroon; pea-green; russet; sage, sage-green;
sea-green] [Also See: chromatic, colored, dark,
light.]

Syn: colored, coloured, in color(predicate).
[WordNet 1.5]

amethyst
adj 1: of a moderate purple color
n 1: a transparent purple variety of quartz; used as a gemstone

Amethyst
one of the precious stones in the breastplate of the high priest
(Ex. 28:19; 39:12), and in the foundation of the New Jerusalem
(Rev. 21:20). The ancients thought that this stone had the power
of dispelling drunkenness in all who wore or touched it, and
hence its Greek name formed from _a_, "privative," and _methuo_,
"to get drunk." Its Jewish name, _ahlamah'_, was derived by the
rabbins from the Hebrew word _halam_, "to dream," from its
supposed power of causing the wearer to dream.

It is a pale-blue crystallized quartz, varying to a dark
purple blue. It is found in Persia and India, also in different
parts of Europe.