amethyst

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

• IPA^(key): /ˈæm.ə.θɪst/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Audio (US):

  (file)

amethyst (plural amethysts)

2. A transparent purple to violet variety of quartz with traces of manganese, used as a gemstone.
   • 1894, Sir Edwin Arnold, Wandering Words, page 260:

     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

   • 2012 March, Lee A. Groat, “Gemstones”, in American Scientist‎^[1], volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 14 June 2012, page 128:

     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.)

3. (uncountable) A purple colour.

   amethyst:  

4. (heraldry) The tincture purpure, when blazoning by precious stones.
   • 1726, John Guillim, The Banner Display'd, page 407:

     The Field is Topaz, a Lion rampant Amethyst [...]

   • 1834, The Art of Heraldry; Explaining the Origin and Use of Arms and Armorial Bearings, Etc, page 14:

     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.

   • 1906 (printed), The Beetham Repository, 1770 (eds. William Hutton, John Rawlinson Ford), page 115:

     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 [...]

amethyst (comparative more amethyst, superlative most amethyst)

1. Having a colour similar to that of the gemstone

• Appendix:Colors

• David Barthelmy (1997–2025) “Amethyst”, in Webmineral Mineralogy Database.
• “amethyst”, in Mindat.org‎^[2], Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, 2000–2025.
• The Manual of Heraldry, Fifth Edition, by Anonymous, London, 1862, online at [3]

From English amethyst.

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈamɛθɨ̞sd/, [ˈamɛθɨ̞st]
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈamɛθɪsd/, [ˈamɛθɪst]

amethyst m (plural amethystau)

1. amethyst

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “amethyst”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies