Definitions for sapphire
ˈsæf aɪərsap·phire

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. sapphirenoun

   a precious transparent stone of rich blue corundum valued as a gemstone

2. sapphirenoun

   a transparent piece of sapphire that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem

3. azure, cerulean, sapphire, lazuline, sky-blueadjective

   a light shade of blue

4. sapphireadjective

   of something having the color of a blue sapphire

   "sapphire eyes"

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Sapphirenoun

   from the precious stone.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Sapphirenoun

   A precious stone of a blue colour.

   Etymology: sapphirus, Latin:

   Saphire is of a bright blue colour. John Woodward.

   In enroll’d tuffs, flow’rs purfled, blue and white,
   Like saphire, pearl, in rich embroidery. William Shakespeare.

   He tinctures rubies with their rosy hue,
   And on the saphire spreads a heavenly blue. Richard Blackmore.

   That the saphire should grow foul, and lose its beauty, when worn by one that is lecherous, and many other fabulous stories of gems, are great arguments that their virtue is equivalent to their value. William Derham.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Sapphire

   Sapphire is a precious gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum, consisting of aluminium oxide (α-Al2O3) with trace amounts of elements such as iron, titanium, chromium, vanadium, or magnesium. The name sapphire is derived via the Latin "sapphirus" from the Greek "sappheiros", which referred to lapis lazuli. It is typically blue, but natural "fancy" sapphires also occur in yellow, purple, orange, and green colors; "parti sapphires" show two or more colors. Red corundum stones also occur, but are called rubies rather than sapphires. Pink-colored corundum may be classified either as ruby or sapphire depending on locale. Commonly, natural sapphires are cut and polished into gemstones and worn in jewelry. They also may be created synthetically in laboratories for industrial or decorative purposes in large crystal boules. Because of the remarkable hardness of sapphires – 9 on the Mohs scale (the third hardest mineral, after diamond at 10 and moissanite at 9.5) – sapphires are also used in some non-ornamental applications, such as infrared optical components, high-durability windows, wristwatch crystals and movement bearings, and very thin electronic wafers, which are used as the insulating substrates of special-purpose solid-state electronics such as integrated circuits and GaN-based blue LEDs. Sapphire is the birthstone for September and the gem of the 45th anniversary. A sapphire jubilee occurs after 65 years.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Sapphirenoun

   native alumina or aluminium sesquioxide, Al2O3; corundum; esp., the blue transparent variety of corundum, highly prized as a gem

2. Sapphirenoun

   the color of the gem; bright blue

3. Sapphirenoun

   any humming bird of the genus Hylocharis, native of South America. The throat and breast are usually bright blue

4. Sapphireadjective

   of or resembling sapphire; sapphirine; blue

5. Etymology: [OE. saphir, F. saphir, L. sapphirus, Gr. , of Oriental origin; cf. Heb. sappr.]

FreebaseRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Sapphire

   Sapphire is a gemstone variety of the mineral corundum, an aluminium oxide. Trace amounts of other elements such as iron, titanium, chromium, copper, or magnesium can give corundum blue, yellow, purple, orange, or a greenish color. Chromium impurities in corundum yield a pink or red tint, the latter being called a ruby. Commonly, sapphires are worn in jewelry. Sapphires may be found naturally, by searching through certain sediments or rock formations. They also may be manufactured for industrial or decorative purposes in large crystal boules. Because of the remarkable hardness of sapphires—nine on the Mohs scale—and of aluminium oxide in general, sapphires are used in some non-ornamental applications, including infrared optical components, such as in scientific instruments; high-durability windows; wristwatch crystals and movement bearings; and very thin electronic wafers, which are used as the insulating substrates of very special-purpose solid-state electronics.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Sapphire

   saf′īr, or saf′ir, n. a highly transparent and brilliant precious stone, a variety of Corundum, generally of a beautiful blue colour—the finest found in Ceylon: (her.) a blue tincture.—adj. deep pure blue.—n. Sapph′ire-wing, a humming-bird.—adj. Sapph′irine, made of, or like, sapphire.—Green sapphire, the Oriental emerald; Red sapphire, the Oriental ruby; Violet sapphire, the Oriental amethyst. [Fr.,—L. sapphirus—Gr. sappheiros—Heb. sappīr, sapphire.]

The Nuttall EncyclopediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Sapphire

   a precious stone of the corundum class, and differing from the ruby (q. v.) only in colour, which is a blue of various shades; the finest specimens are found in Ceylon; its value depends chiefly on quality, and not so much (like the ruby) on size.

Suggested ResourcesRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. sapphire

   The sapphire symbol -- In this Symbols.com article you will learn about the meaning of the sapphire symbol and its characteristic.

Matched Categories

1. • Corundum
   • Jewel
   • Transparent Gem

Anagrams for sapphire »

1. papisher

How to pronounce sapphire?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say sapphire in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of sapphire in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of sapphire in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of sapphire in a Sentence

1. Anita Loos:

   I really think that American gentlemen are the best after all, because kissing your hand may make you feel very good but a diamond and a sapphire bracelet lasts forever.

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