Sapphire word meaning and definition

[noun] a light shade of blue
[noun] a transparent piece of sapphire that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem
[noun] a precious transparent stone of rich blue corundum valued as a gemstone
[adjective] having the color of a blue sapphire; "sapphire eyes"

\Sap"phire\ (? or ?; 277), n. [OE. saphir, F. saphir, L. sapphirus, Gr. ?, of Oriental origin; cf. Heb. sapp[=i]r.] 1. (Min.) Native alumina or aluminium sesquioxide, {Al2O3}; corundum; esp., the blue transparent variety of corundum, highly prized as a gem. Of rubies, sapphires, and of pearl['e]s white. --Chaucer. Note: Sapphire occurs in hexagonal crystals and also in granular and massive forms. The name sapphire is usually restricted to the blue crystals, while the bright red crystals are called Oriental rubies (see under {Ruby}), the amethystine variety Oriental amethyst (see under {Amethyst}), and the dull massive varieties corundum (a name which is also used as a general term to include all varieties). See {Corundum}. 2. The color of the gem; bright blue. 3. (Zo["o]l.) Any humming bird of the genus {Hylocharis}, native of South America. The throat and breast are usually bright blue. {Star sapphire}, or {Asteriated sapphire} (Min.), a kind of sapphire which exhibits asterism.
\Sap"phire\, a. Of or resembling sapphire; sapphirine; blue. ``The sapphire blaze.'' --Gray.

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