Forms: 6 spynel, 7 spinnell, 7–9 spinell, 8–9 spinal, 7– spinel. [ad. older F. espinelle (mod.F. spinelle, It. spinella, Sp. espinela). See also ESPINEL and SPINELLE.]
1. A gem or precious stone of a red or scarlet color, closely resembling the true ruby, now classed as belonging to the typical species of the spinel group of minerals (see sense 2).
1528. MS. List of Jewelry (P.R.O.), xiij rynges,… iij with Spynels,… oon with a crapawd.
1599. Hakluyt, Voy., II. 236. Rubies, Safires & Spinels.
1620. in Rymer, Foedera (1710), XVII. 196. Two greate Stones called Spinnells.
1665. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1677), 88. Translucent stones which want neither beauty nor esteem; namely, Topazes, Amethysts, Spinels [etc.].
1698. Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., 214. The third sort of Ruby is called a Spinell.
1801. T. Thomson, in Encycl. Brit., Suppl. II. 203/2. If deep [red], the ruby is usually called balass; if pale rosy, spinell.
1892. Daily News, 23 March, 5/4. The Spinel and the Balas, the one a lively poppy-red, the other a violet-rose, frequently usurp the dignity of a true ruby.
b. More fully in spinel ruby.
1668. Charleton, Onomast., 277. Rubinus Spinellus, the Spinel Ruby.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl. s.v. Ruby, The second is the spinal ruby. Under this name they [jewellers] know those rubies, which are of a somewhat less deep … colour, than what they call the true ruby.
1796. Kirwan, Elem. Min. (ed. 2), I. 253. Spinell and Balass Rubies.
1815. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 411. In the emerald it [chromium] exists in the state of green oxide, and the spinal ruby contains it in the state of an acid.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 391. If … we make the edges of a spinel ruby … curvilinear.
1883. Encycl. Brit., XVI. 386/2. Varieties are—Spinel ruby when scarlet, Balas Ruby when rose-red.
2. Min. The typical species of a group of minerals (the spinel group), which are compounds of sesquioxides with protoxides, and crystallize in the isometric system.
1807. T. Thomson, Chem. (ed. 3), II. 482. This mineral, which has some resemblance to the spinel, was found composed of 60 parts alumina [etc.].
1817. R. Jameson, Char. Min. (ed. 3), 132. Triple crystals occur in spinel and calcareous-spar.
1842. Penny Cycl., XXII. 348/2. Spinell is found in Ceylon and Siam in isolated and rolled crystals in the beds of rivers.
1888. Rutley, Rock-Forming Min., 108. Ordinary spinel appears reddish, or colourless by transmitted light.
b. One or other of the various minerals belonging to this group.
See also chloro-spinel (CHLORO-1) and water-spinel.
1837. Dana, Min., 328. The fine colored spinels, when of large size, are highly esteemed as gems. Ibid. (1863), Man. Geol., 139. The soft spinels of St. Lawrence co., called houghite.
1880. Cleminshaw, trans. Wurtz’ Atom. The., 144. The spinels form a very natural isomorphous group.
c. attrib., as spinel-crystal.
1851. Amer. Jrnl. Sci., Ser. II. XII. 210. Some of his specimens are spinel crystals … in one part, and true Houghite in another.
Spinel, var. SPINAL sb.; obs. or dial. f. SPINDLE.
