What does "sapphire" mean?
A clear deep blue variety of corundum, valued as a precious stone.
Sapphire
/ˈsæf.aɪ̯ɚ/ adj, name, noun
adj, name, noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A clear deep blue variety of corundum, valued as a precious stone.
- Grammar: sapphire is listed as adj, name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: azure, adamant, agate, alexandrite.
- Useful contrasts: colorless, orange.
- Usage evidence: There was a magnificent sunset, and the snowy hills and deep-blue water of the St. Lawrence Gulf seemed to rim in the splendor like a huge bowl of pearl and sapphire brimmed with wine and fire.
How to use "sapphire"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sapphire" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "sapphire" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "sapphire" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sapphire" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "sapphire" is acting as adj, name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "azure" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "sapphire", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A clear deep blue variety of corundum, valued as a precious stone. countable
"Although there are dozens of different types of gems, among the best known and most important are diamond, ruby and sapphire, emerald and other gem forms of the mineral beryl, chrysoberyl, tanzanite, tsavorite, topaz and jade."
- 2 A stereotype of an aggressive and domineering black woman.
"When black women speak up about indignities, they are Sapphires. When black women stand up for their rights, they are Sapphires."
- 3 a light shade of blue wordnet
- 4 A white, yellow, or purple variety of corundum, either clear or translucent. countable, uncountable
- 5 a transparent piece of sapphire that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem wordnet
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 A deep blue colour. countable, uncountable
- 7 a precious transparent stone of rich blue corundum valued as a gemstone wordnet
- 8 Azure, when blazoning by precious stones. countable, uncountable
"Elgin. Topaz a Saltier and Chief Ruby, on a Canton Pearl a Lyon Rampant Saphyr, which last is their paternal Coat; […]"
- 9 Any hummingbird in the genera Hylocharis and Chlorestes, as well as the rufous-throated sapphire, which is now in the genus Amazilia. countable
- 10 Any of the butterflies in the southern Asian lycaenid genus Heliophorus or the African lycaenid genus Iolaus. countable, uncountable
Adjective
- 1 of a deep blue colour.
"At about eleven, we uncaged our pigeons, who flew away into the sapphire sky that hung like a sail from the white peaks."
- 2 pertaining to a 45th year
Adjective
- 1 of something having the color of a blue sapphire wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A female given name from English from the precious stone.
"I asked her once how a little girl who didn't have blue eyes ended up being called Sapphire. She pursed her lips for a few seconds, clearly wondering how she could get away with not telling me. 'My older brother is called Mistral,' she said in the end. 'My younger sister is Blaze. I'd say I was the lucky one.' As I say, hippy parents."
- 2 A locality in the Inverell council area, north eastern New South Wales, Australia.
Example
"There was a magnificent sunset, and the snowy hills and deep-blue water of the St. Lawrence Gulf seemed to rim in the splendor like a huge bowl of pearl and sapphire brimmed with wine and fire."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sapphire"?
Common synonyms include: azure, adamant, agate, alexandrite, amethyst, aquamarine.
How do you use "sapphire" in a sentence?
There was a magnificent sunset, and the snowy hills and deep-blue water of the St. Lawrence Gulf seemed to rim in the splendor like a huge bowl of pearl and sapphire brimmed with wine and fire.
How do you pronounce "sapphire"?
Pronounced /ˈsæf.aɪ̯ɚ/.
Etymology
From Middle English saphir, from Old French saphir, from Latin sapphir, sappir, sapphīrus, from Ancient Greek σάπφειρος (sáppheiros, “precious stone, gem”), from a Semitic language such as Hebrew סַפִּיר (sappī́r, “lapis lazuli”), originally from Assyrian Akkadian šipirtu (“lapis lazuli”).