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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Sapphire \Sap"phire\, a.
Of or resembling sapphire; sapphirine; blue. "The sapphire
blaze." --Gray.
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Sapphire \Sap"phire\ (? or ?; 277), n. [OE. saphir, F. saphir,
L. sapphirus, Gr. ?, of Oriental origin; cf. Heb.
sapp[imac]r.]
1. (Min.) Native alumina or aluminium sesquioxide, {Al2O3};
corundum; esp., the blue transparent variety of corundum,
highly prized as a gem.
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Of rubies, sapphires, and of pearl['e]s white.
--Chaucer.
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Note: Sapphire occurs in hexagonal crystals and also in
granular and massive forms. The name sapphire is
usually restricted to the blue crystals, while the
bright red crystals are called Oriental rubies (see
under {Ruby}), the amethystine variety Oriental
amethyst (see under {Amethyst}), and the dull massive
varieties corundum (a name which is also used as a
general term to include all varieties). See {Corundum}.
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2. The color of the gem; bright blue.
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3. (Zool.) Any humming bird of the genus {Hylocharis}, native
of South America. The throat and breast are usually bright
blue.
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{Star sapphire}, or {Asteriated sapphire} (Min.), a kind of
sapphire which exhibits asterism.
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Corundum \Co*run"dum\ (k[-o]*r[u^]n"d[u^]m), n.; pl. {Corundums}
(k[-o]*r[u^]n"d[u^]mz). [Also corindon.] [From Hind. kurand
corundum stone.] (Min.)
The mineral alumina ({Al2O3}), as found native in a
crystalline state. Transparent varieties are used as
gemstones, including {sapphire}, which is the fine blue
variety; the {oriental ruby}, or red sapphire; the {oriental
amethyst}, or purple sapphire; and {adamantine spar}, the
hair-brown variety. It is the hardest substance found native,
next to the diamond.
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Note: The name corundum is sometimes restricted to the
non-transparent or coarser kinds. {Emery} is a
dark-colored granular variety, usually admixed with
magnetic iron ore.
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