Zaffre

//ˈzæfə(ɹ)// noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Cobalt oxide obtained by roasting cobalt ore, used as a blue pigment. countable, uncountable

    "If Zaffre or Regulus of Cobalt be dissolved in the same manner in spirit of nitre, or aqua fortis, a reddish colour is produced on exposing the paper to heat."

  2. 2
    A cobalt blue colour, like that of the pigment. countable, uncountable

Example

More examples

"If Zaffre or Regulus of Cobalt be dissolved in the same manner in spirit of nitre, or aqua fortis, a reddish colour is produced on exposing the paper to heat."

Etymology

From Italian zaffera, from Latin sapphirus (“sapphire”). Doublet of sapphire.

Related phrases

cobalt blue

More for "zaffre"

SynonymsSentencesPronunciationTranslate

Next best steps

Find stronger synonymsSee usage examplesCheck pronunciationBrowse writing guides

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.