corundum

[kuh-ruhn-duhm] Origin

co·run·dum

[kuh-ruhn-duhm]
noun
a common mineral, aluminum oxide, Al2O3, notable for its hardness: transparent varieties, as sapphire and ruby, are used as gems, other varieties as abrasives: often made synthetically.

Origin:
1720–30; < Tamil kuruntam; akin to Sanskrit kuruvinda ruby
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Corundum is always a great word to know.
So is gobo. Does it mean:
a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
Collins
World English Dictionary
corundum (kəˈrʌndəm)
 
n
a white, grey, blue, green, red, yellow, or brown mineral, found in metamorphosed shales and limestones, in veins, and in some igneous rocks. It is used as an abrasive and as gemstone; the red variety is ruby, the blue is sapphire. Composition: aluminium oxide. Formula: Al2O3. Crystal structure: hexagonal (rhombohedral)
 
[C18: from Tamil kuruntam; related to Sanskrit kuruvinda ruby]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

corundum
1728, from Anglo-Ind., from Tamil kurundam "ruby sapphire" (Skt. kuruvinda).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
corundum   (kə-rŭn'dəm)  Pronunciation Key 
An extremely hard mineral occurring in many colors, either as shapeless grains or as rhombohedral crystals. It also occurs in gem varieties such as ruby and sapphire and in a dark-colored variety that is used for polishing and scraping. Corundum is found in igneous and carbonate rocks. Chemical formula: Al2O3.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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