Dictionary

amethyst en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ɛm-/ (US, also)
• /ˈæm.ə.θɪst/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English ametist, from Old French ametiste (French améthyste), from Ancient Greek ἀμέθυστος (améthustos, “not drunk”), from ἀ- (a-, “not”) + μεθύω (methúō, “to be 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.

Meanings

1. Having a colour similar to that of the gemstone

Forms

Translations (10)

fi ametistinvioletti (colour) · cmn 紫色的 (colour) · ga aimitise (colour) · eo ametista (colour) · vo maetütakölik (colour) · ru аметистовый (colour) · de amethysten (colour) · ro purpuriu (colour) · pl ametystowy (colour) · pl fioletowy (colour)

amethyst en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ɛm-/ (US, also)
• /ˈæm.ə.θɪst/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English ametist, from Old French ametiste (French améthyste), from Ancient Greek ἀμέθυστος (améthustos, “not drunk”), from ἀ- (a-, “not”) + μεθύω (methúō, “to be 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.

Meanings

1. A transparent purple to violet variety of quartz with traces of manganese, used as a gemstone.
   • I'm not bragging, but I had mica, pyrite, and an amethyst in my collection, oh yea. (Side note to readers: Amethysts, those big purple crystal ones, were a big panty dropper back in the day. […]) 2015, David Spade, Almost Interesting: The Memoir, HarperCollins, →ISBN:
   • 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 1894, Sir Edwin Arnold, Wandering Words, page 260:
   • Although there are dozens of different types of gems, among the best known and most important are […] . (Common gem materials not addressed in this article include amber, amethyst, chalcedony, garnet, lazurite, malachite, opals, peridot, rhodonite, spinel, tourmaline, turquoise and zircon.) 2012 March 14, Lee A. Groat, “Gemstones”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 14 Jun 2012, page 128:
2. (uncountable) A purple colour.
3. The tincture purpure, when blazoning by precious stones.
   • The Field is Topaz, a Lion rampant Amethyst [...] 1726, John Guillim, The Banner Display'd, page 407:
   • Purple, on the arms of princes Mercury, of peers amethyst, and of commoners purpure, [is represented] by diagonal lines from the sinister chief to the dexter base. 1834, The Art of Heraldry; Explaining the Origin and Use of Arms and Armorial Bearings, Etc, page 14:
   • 1st & 4th grand Quarter alike viz. Field Pearl, on a bend Sapphire 3 Buckheads, coup'd topaz for Stanley. The 2d Quarter, Field Sapphire with an inverted Chief, amethyst. The 3d, A Checque topaz & Amethyst, this seems prior to Bosworth field, to have belong'd to Sr Robt Goushill whose Dr a Stanley married … 1906 (printed), The Beetham Repository, 1770 (eds. William Hutton, John Rawlinson Ford), page 115

Forms

Deriveds

amethyst deceiver · amethyst starling · amethyst gold · amethystine · amethystic · ametrine

Translations (87)

tr ametist (gem) · zza ametistane (colour) · sl ametíst (gem) · is ametýst (gem) · yue 紫水晶 (gem) · fa کرکهن (gem) · tr mortaş (gem) · kn ಅಮೆಥಿಸ್ಟ್ (gem) · ca ametista (gem) · ru фиоле́товый цвет (colour) · ca ametista (colour) · ka ამეთვისტო (gem) · fi ametistinvioletti (colour) · sw rangi ya amethisto (colour) · sw ametisti (gem) · ja 紫水晶 (gem) · sv ametist (gem) · cmn 紫色 (colour) · it ametista (gem) · uk амети́ст (gem) · hy ամեթիստ (gem) · ml അമീഥിസ്റ്റ് (gem) · fi ametisti (gem) · gu એમિથિસ્ટ (gem) · sh ametist (gem) · ro ametist (gem) · nl amethist (gem) · pt ametista (gem) · hi एमिथिस्ट (gem) · hi अमेथिस्ट (gem) · la amethystus (gem) · ga aimitis (colour) · cs ametyst (gem) · kk аметист (gem) · id ungu kecubung (colour) · el αμέθυστος (gem) · fa گمست (gem) · gl ametista (gem) · pl ametyst (gem) · de Amethyst (gem) · fa آمتیست (gem) · hu ametiszt (gem) · fy ametist (gem) · vo maetüt (gem) · chr ᎠᎻᏘᏏ-ᏕᎭᎷᎨᎢ (colour) · id kecubung (gem) · oc ametista (gem) · cmn 紫水晶 (gem) · th เขี้ยวหนุมาน (gem) · fa کرکهان (gem) · id kinyang ungu (gem) · ja アメシスト (gem) · ms ungu kecubung (colour) · hak 紫水晶 (gem) · ms batu kecubung (gem) · ga aimitis (gem) · ru амети́ст (gem) · et ametüst (colour) · bg аметист (gem) · fr améthyste (gem) · eo ametisto (gem) · et ametüst (gem) · hy մեղեսիկ (gem) · kk күлгінтас (gem) · af ametis (gem) · ta செவ்வந்தி (gem) · ka ამეთვისტოსფერი (colour) · es amatista (gem) · ko 자수정 (gem) · ar جَمَشْت (gem) · ta செவ்வந்திக்கல் (gem) · da ametyst (gem) · grc ἀμέθυστος (gem) · mi ametihita (gem) · my သီဟိုဠ်နီလာ (gem) · lv ametists (gem) · ja 紫色 (colour) · ru амети́стовый цвет (colour) · mt ametist (gem) · cy amethyst (gem) · es amatista (colour) · ms ametis (gem) · su kucubung (gem) · zza ametist (diq) (gem) · he אַחְלָמָה (gem) · chr ᎠᎻᏘᏏ (gem) · tl amatista (gem)

wikidata: Q79058