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 Greeks believed that the amethyst prevented intoxication.

• IPA^(key): /ˈæm.ə.θɪst/

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amethyst (plural amethysts)

1. A transparent purple to violet variety of quartz with traces of manganese, used as a gemstone.
   • 2012 March, Lee A. Groat, “Gemstones”, in American Scientist‎, 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.)

2. (uncountable) A purple colour.

   amethyst:  

3. (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 (1997–2024) “Amethyst”, in Webmineral Mineralogy Database.
• “amethyst”, in Mindat.org‎, Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, 2000–2024.
• The Manual of Heraldry, Fifth Edition, by Anonymous, London, 1862, online at

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