Amethyst
adj, name, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A transparent purple to violet variety of quartz with traces of manganese, used as a gemstone.
"The burning evening sun lighted with mellow gold the coats of the fierce little tiger-kittens — orange silk with stripes of black velvet — the broken amethysts and ruined emeralds of the poor bird's train cruelly scattered over the trampled grass"
- 2 a transparent purple variety of quartz; used as a gemstone wordnet
- 3 A purple colour. uncountable
- 4 The tincture purpure, when blazoning by precious stones.
"The Field is Topaz, a Lion rampant Amethyst [...]"
- 1 Having a colour similar to that of the gemstone
- 1 of a moderate purple color wordnet
- 1 A female given name.
"The Australian rapper Iggy Azalea was born Amethyst Amelia Kelly."
Example
More examples"Rare gems include aquamarine, amethyst, emerald, quartz and ruby."
Etymology
From Middle English ametist, from Old French ametiste (French améthyste), from Ancient Greek ἀμέθυστος (améthustos, “not drunk”), from ἀ- (a-, “not”) + μεθύω (methúō, “I am drunk”), from μέθυ (méthu, “wine”). The name was based on the ancient belief that amethyst gemstones could prevent intoxication. People in ancient Greece and Rome would wear amethyst or drink from cups made of amethyst to ward off the effects of alcohol.
From the gemstone amethyst.
Related phrases
More for "amethyst"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.