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Sapphire

//ˈsæf.aɪ̯ɚ// adj, name, noun

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 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. 2
    pertaining to a 45th year
Adjective
  1. 1
    of something having the color of a blue sapphire wordnet
Proper Noun
  1. 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. 2
    A locality in the Inverell council area, north eastern New South Wales, Australia.
Noun
  1. 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. 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. 3
    a light shade of blue wordnet
  4. 4
    A white, yellow, or purple variety of corundum, either clear or translucent. countable, uncountable
  5. 5
    a transparent piece of sapphire that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem wordnet
Show 5 more definitions
  1. 6
    A deep blue colour. countable, uncountable
  2. 7
    a precious transparent stone of rich blue corundum valued as a gemstone wordnet
  3. 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; […]"

  4. 9
    Any hummingbird in the genera Hylocharis and Chlorestes, as well as the rufous-throated sapphire, which is now in the genus Amazilia. countable
  5. 10
    Any of the butterflies in the southern Asian lycaenid genus Heliophorus or the African lycaenid genus Iolaus. countable, uncountable

Etymology

Etymology 1

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”).

Etymology 2

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”).

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