[am-uh-thist] 
| 1. | a purple or violet quartz, used as a gem. |
| 2. | a purplish tint. |
| 3. | having the color of amethyst. |
| 4. | containing or set with an amethyst or amethysts: an amethyst brooch. |
[am-uh-this-tin, -tahyn] , adjective | am·e·thyst (ām'ə-thĭst) n.
[Middle English amatist, from Old French, from Latin amethystus, from Greek amethustos, not drunk or intoxicating, remedy for intoxication, amethyst : a-, not; see a-1 + *methuskein, to intoxicate (from methuein, to be drunk, from methu, wine; see medhu- in Indo-European roots).] am'e·thys'tine (-thĭs'tĭn, -tīn') adj. |
| amethyst (ām'ə-thĭst) Pronunciation Key
A purple or violet, transparent form of quartz used as a gemstone. The color is caused by the presence of iron compounds in the crystal structure. |
Amethyst
one of the precious stones in the breastplate of the high priest (Ex. 28:19; 39:12), and in the foundation of the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:20). The ancients thought that this stone had the power of dispelling drunkenness in all who wore or touched it, and hence its Greek name formed from _a_, "privative," and _methuo_, "to get drunk." Its Jewish name, _ahlamah'_, was derived by the rabbins from the Hebrew word _halam_, "to dream," from its supposed power of causing the wearer to dream. It is a pale-blue crystallized quartz, varying to a dark purple blue. It is found in Persia and India, also in different parts of Europe.
