Forms: 3 ametist, 4 ame-, amatistus, 4–6 amatyst(e, 5 ametiste, 5–7 amatist, 6 amitist, amates, 6–7 amatites, 6–8 amethist, 7 amæthist, 7– amethyst, (4 amaffised). [a. OFr. ametiste, amatiste, ad. L. amethyst-us, a. Gr. ἀέθυστ-ος, prop. adj. ‘not drunken’ (f. ἀ priv. + *μέθυστος, verbal adjective f. μεθύσκ-ειν to intoxicate, f. μέθυ wine), applied subst. to this stone (as also to a herb), from a notion that it was a preventive of intoxication. In end of 16th c. the word began to be refashioned after the Latin, though the earlier amatist was still usual in early part of 17th.]
1. A precious stone of a clear purple or bluish violet color, of different degrees of intensity, consisting of quartz or rock-crystal colored by manganese, or, according to Heintz, by a compound of iron and soda.
c. 1290. Cokaygne, in E. E. P. (1862), 258. Ametist and crisolite.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., A. 1015. Þe amatyst purpre with ynde blente.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVI. ix. (1495), 557. Amatistus is purpre red in colour medelyd wyth colour of uyolette.
1477. Norton, Ord. Alch., in Ashm. 1652, v. 65. The Amatist followeth the Ruby in dignity.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 569. Rubeis reid … amates that courtlie war and cleir.
1580. Sidney, Arcadia, II. (1654), 141. The bloodie shafts of Cupids war, With amatists they headed are.
1596. Lodge, Marg. of Amer., 79. The amethist staieth drunkennesse.
1611. Bible, Rev. xxi. 20. The twelfth an Amethyst [Wyclif, ametistus; Tindale, Genev. amatist; Rhem. amethyste].
1612. Drayton, Poly-olb., xv. 241. The rich Ruby, Pearle, and Amatist.
1727. Thompson, Summer, 151. The purple streaming Amethyst is thine.
1874. Westropp, Prec. Stones, 41. The finest amethysts are brought from India, Persia, Ceylon, Brazil, and Siberia.
Oriental Amethyst: a rare violet or amethyst-colored variety of Corundum or Sapphire.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., Oriental Amethysts are found in Calecut and Bisnagar.
1874. Westropp, Prec. Stones, 16. The violet variety of corundum is termed the oriental amethyst. It may be distinguished from the ordinary amethyst by its superior brilliancy.
2. fig.
1818. Keats, Endym., I. 27. Western cloudiness, that takes The semblance of gold rocks … palaces And towers of amethyst.
c. 1875. Longf., Palingen., I. The rolling meadows of amethyst.
3. Her. The color of the amethyst, purple violet.
1572. Bossewell, Armorie, 105. He beareth on a wreathe ‘Topaze’ and ‘Saphiere’ an Alcian, volant, of the ‘Amatist’ mixte with ‘Pearle.’
1725. Bradley, Fam. Dict., Amethist, a Term in Heraldry, signifying the Purple Colour in the Coat of a Nobleman.
4. attrib. quasi-adj.; = AMETHYSTINE 2.
1601. Holland, Pliny, IX. xxxviii. (1634), 259. Rich Amethyst or purple violet colour.
1791. Hamilton, Berthollet’s Dyeing, I. Introd. 11. The amethyst purple had the colour of the stone so called.
1879. E. Clerke, in Cornh. Mag., June, 724. The savage sculpture of their [summits’] stony ribs accentuated by amethyst shadow.
