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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

sapphire en · ADJ

Pronunciation

  • /ˈsæf.aɪ̯ə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • (US) audio
  • /ˈsæf.aɪ̯əɹ/ (General-American)

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”).

Meanings

  1. of a deep blue colour.
    • They awoke to panoramic views of a national park's tropical forests, the Gulf of Paria's shallows and the Caribbean's sparkling sapphire waters. 2025 November 8, The Associated Press, “Trump says boat crews are narco-terrorists. The truth is more nuanced, AP finds”, in NPR:
    • At about eleven, we uncaged our pigeons, who flew away into the sapphire sky that hung like a sail from the white peaks. 1927, Dhan Gopal Mukerji, Gay-Neck, the Story of a Pigeon, E.P. Dutton & Co., page 33:
  2. pertaining to a 45th year

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
more sapphire Degree=Cmp lexicographic
most sapphire Degree=Sup lexicographic

Deriveds

sapphire anniversary · sapphire jubilee

Relateds

Sapphire

Translations (15)

nl saffierblauwe (colour) · ja サファイア色 (colour) · de saphirblau (colour) · fr saphir (colour) · sv safirblå (colour) · no safirblå (colour) · is safírblár (colour) · fi safiirinsininen (colour) · ka საფირისფერი (colour) · cmn 蓝宝石 (colour) · el ζαφειρένιος (colour) · de strahlend blau (colour) · pl szafirowy (colour) · nl saffierblauw (colour) · tr safir mavisi (colour)

sapphire en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /ˈsæf.aɪ̯ə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • (US) audio
  • /ˈsæf.aɪ̯əɹ/ (General-American)

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”).

Meanings

  1. (countable) A clear deep blue variety of corundum, valued as a precious stone.
    • 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. 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. (countable, uncountable) A white, yellow, or purple variety of corundum, either clear or translucent.
  3. (countable, uncountable) A deep blue colour.
  4. (countable, uncountable) Azure, when blazoning by precious stones.
    • 3. Saphire, ten Bezants, 4, 3, 2, 1, by the Bisset. 1726, John Guillim, The Banner Display'd; Or, an Abridgment of Guillim, page 504:
    • Topaz, on a Cross, Sapphire, a Crosier thrust through a Mitre, Topaz. 1756, Francis Nichols, The Irish Compendium, Or, Rudiments of Honour, Containing the Descent, Marriage, Isssue, Titles, Posts, and Seats, of All the Nobility of Ireland..., page 440:
    • (2) Topaz, a Chief Indented, Saphire. 1754, John Lodge, The Peerage of Ireland; Or, a Genealogical History of the ..., page 71:
    • Elgin. Topaz a Saltier and Chief Ruby, on a Canton Pearl a Lyon Rampant Saphyr, which last is their paternal Coat; […] 1720, Francis Nichols, Rudiments of Honour, page 296:
  5. (countable) Any hummingbird in the genera Hylocharis and Chlorestes, as well as the rufous-throated sapphire, which is now in the genus Amazilia.
  6. (countable, uncountable) Any of the butterflies in the southern Asian lycaenid genus Heliophorus or the African lycaenid genus Iolaus.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
sapphires Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

yellow sapphire · sea sapphire · sapphire glass · Padparadscha sapphire · sapphireberry · star sapphire · sapphiric · water sapphire · sapphired · sapphirelike · pink sapphire · sapphirine · blue-chinned sapphire · blue-throated sapphire · white sapphire · Sapphire Beach

Descendants

saffir · hafaila

Relateds

corundum

Translations (168)

el ζαφειρένιο (colour) · an zafir (gem) · lo ນິລະ (gem) · bg тъмносин (colour) · to safaili (gem) · sw yakuti samawi (gem) · ar يَاقُوت أَزْرَق (gem) · lt safyras (gem) · fur zafîr (gem) · uk сапфі́ровий (colour) · sv safir (gem) · de Saphirblau (colour) · mi hapaira (gem) · la sapphīrus (gem) · pt safira (gem) · ar أَزْرَق يَاقُوتِيّ (colour) · ca safir (gem) · nn safir (gem) · hu zafír (gem) · chr ᏌᏆᏯ-ᏌᎪᏂᎨᎢ (colour) · mt żaffir (gem) · enm saphir (corundum) · fa یاقوت کبود (gem) · mr नीलम (gem) · shn သႅင်ၵႃၶၢပ်ႇ (gem) · pt beija-flor-de-garganta-azul (type of hummingbird) · fy saffier (gem) · mr इंद्रनील (gem) · no safirblå (colour) · ha saffir (gem) · cy saffir (gem) · id safir (gem) · ka საფირონი (gem) · enm saphir (gem) · sah сапфир (gem) · ko 사파이어 (gem) · tr safir (corundum) · mk сафир (gem) · cs safír (gem) · ar زَفِير (gem) · hi इंद्रनील (gem) · uk сапфі́р (corundum) · sh sàfīr (gem) · sn safiri (gem) · mnw နဳလာ (gem) · ja サファイア (corundum) · bg сапфир (gem) · cmn 藍寶石 /蓝宝石 (gem) · shn ၼီႇလႃႇ (gem) · ty safaia (gem) · ny safiro (gem) · tg сапфир (gem) · km កណ្ដៀង (colour) · ar يَاقُوت (gem) · lij zafìro (gem) · es esmeralda gorgiazul (type of hummingbird) · it zaffiro (gem) · ca colibrí safir (type of hummingbird) · ms batu nilam (gem) · sa इन्द्रनील (gem) · ar يَاقُوت (corundum) · uk сапфі́рний (colour) · th นิลกาฬ (gem) · hi नीलम (gem) · th แซปไฟร์ (gem) · is safírblár (colour) · cy glasem (gem) · af saffier (gem) · sh са̀фӣр (gem) · mr नीलमणी (gem) · cs kolibřík modrobradý (type of hummingbird) · rgn ẓafìr (gem) · xh isafire (gem) · hi याक़ूत (gem) · gl zafiro (gem) · st safire (gem) · th นิลกาฬ (corundum) · km កណ្ដៀង (gem) · roa-opt çafil (gem) · ast zafil (gem) · uz sapfir (gem) · ro safir (gem) · oc safir (gem) · mn индранил (gem) · yi שאַפֿיר (gem) · jv safir (gem) · su sapir (gem) · enm jacynct (gem) · fi safiirinsininen (colour) · ga saifír (gem) · arz ياقوت (gem) · tr safir (gem) · hu szafír (gem) · el σάπφειρος (corundum) · hi याकूत (gem) · hi याकूत (corundum) · hy շափյուղա (gem) · uk сапфі́р (gem) · es zafiro (gem) · nl saffier (gem) · la hyacinthus (gem) · el ζαφείρι (gem) · my နီလာ (gem) · fi sinileukakolibri (type of hummingbird) · fr saphir (gem) · ja サファイア (gem) · chr ᏌᏆᏯ (gem) · ia sapphiro (gem) · zu isafire (gem) · sm safaira (gem) · sl safir (gem) · mr नीळ (gem) · kn ನೀಲಮಣಿ (gem) · hi नीलमणि (gem) · kn ಇಂದ್ರನೀಲ (gem) · lmo zafir (gem) · nl saffierblauw (colour) · oc safir (corundum) · vi xa-phia (gem) · lo ນິນ (gem) · fr colibri à menton bleu (type of hummingbird) · de Saphir (gem) · pl szafir (gem) · et safiir (gem) · fi safiiri (corundum) · th ไพลิน (corundum) · tr safir mavisi (colour) · ko 사파이어색 (colour) · ur نیلم (gem) · hi नीलमणि (corundum) · grc σάπφειρος (gem) · es zafiro (corundum) · mg safira (gem) · hi इंद्रनील (corundum) · id batu nilam (gem) · ru сапфи́р (gem) · ms nilakandi (gem) · nl blauwkeelsaffierkolibrie (type of hummingbird) · fa آسمانجونی (gem) · enm jacynct (colour) · fj safairi (gem) · oc safir (colour) · haw sapeira (gem) · rw safiro (gem) · sv safirblå (colour) · kac nila (gem) · tl sapiro (gem) · shn သႅင်သွမ်ႇ (gem) · hi कुरुविंद (corundum) · pms zàfir (gem) · lv safīrs (gem) · ug كۆك ياقۇت (gem) · nb safir (gem) · eo safiro (gem) · th ไพลิน (gem) · he סַפִּיר (gem) · co zaffiru (gem) · hi याक़ूत (corundum) · fi safiiri (gem) · is safír (gem) · da safir (gem) · kk жақұт (gem) · so safayr (gem) · hi नीलम (corundum) · sk zafír (gem) · fa آسمانگونی (gem) · oc colibrí gòrjablava (type of hummingbird) · ky жакут (gem)

wikidata: Q127583