Hypertext Webster Gateway: "sapphire"
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)
Sapphire
Associated with diamonds (Ex. 28:18) and emeralds (Ezek. 28:13);
one of the stones in the high priest's breastplate. It is a
precious stone of a sky-blue colour, probably the lapis lazuli,
brought from Babylon. The throne of God is described as of the
colour of a sapphire (Ex. 24:10; comp. Ezek. 1:26).
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Sapphire \Sap"phire\ (? or ?; 277), n. [OE. saphir, F. saphir,
L. sapphirus, Gr. ?, of Oriental origin; cf. Heb. sapp[=i]r.]
1. (Min.) Native alumina or aluminium sesquioxide, {Al2O3};
corundum; esp., the blue transparent variety of corundum,
highly prized as a gem.
Of rubies, sapphires, and of pearl['e]s white.
--Chaucer.
Note: Sapphire occurs in hexagonal crystals and also in
granular and massive forms. The name sapphire is
usually restricted to the blue crystals, while the
bright red crystals are called Oriental rubies (see
under {Ruby}), the amethystine variety Oriental
amethyst (see under {Amethyst}), and the dull massive
varieties corundum (a name which is also used as a
general term to include all varieties). See {Corundum}.
2. The color of the gem; bright blue.
3. (Zo["o]l.) Any humming bird of the genus {Hylocharis},
native of South America. The throat and breast are usually
bright blue.
{Star sapphire}, or {Asteriated sapphire} (Min.), a kind of
sapphire which exhibits asterism.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Sapphire \Sap"phire\, a.
Of or resembling sapphire; sapphirine; blue. ``The sapphire
blaze.'' --Gray.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
sapphire
adj : having the color of a blue sapphire; "sapphire eyes"
n 1: a precious transparent stone of rich blue corundum valued as
a gemstone
2: a transparent piece of sapphire that has been cut and
polished and is valued as a precious gem
3: a light shade of blue [syn: {azure}, {cerulean}, {lazuline},
{sky-blue}]
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