amethyst

noun

am·​e·​thyst ˈa-mə-thəst 

-(ˌ)thist

1

a

: a clear purple or bluish-violet variety of crystallized quartz that is often used as a jeweler's stone

b

: a deep purple variety of corundum

2

: a moderate purple

amethystine

ˌa-mə-ˈthi-stən 

adjective

Did you know?

Gems were once believed to have magical qualities. An amethyst, for example, was supposed to have the power to prevent or cure drunkenness in its wearer. For this reason the Greeks gave it the name amethystos, which comes from the prefix a-, meaning “not,” and methyein “to be drunk.”

Examples of amethyst in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The design includes purple amethyst as well as 74 diamonds around the ring’s sides — a sum representing the number of goals Minnesota scored during the first season. —Constance Droganes, Footwear News, 28 Apr. 2025

Oval amethyst line drop earrings: on sale for $155 Original price: $310 Gift a pair of oval amethyst line drop earrings this Valentine’s Day. —Christopher Murray, Fox News, 30 Jan. 2025

Among the 15,000 to 20,000 artifacts waiting to be explored is a copy of the Omar Khayyam studded with 1,500 emeralds, rubies, amethysts and topazes set in gold, the trunks of first-class passengers and perhaps the greatest treasure of all: 3,364 bags of mail stuffed with seven million letters. —Sean Kingsley, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2025

In the late 2010s, emerald, royal blue, and amethyst velvets were the moment, but not anymore. —Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 2 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English amatiste, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin amethystus, from Greek amethystos, literally, remedy against drunkenness, from a- + methyein to be drunk, from methy wine — more at mead

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

amethyst

noun

am·​e·​thyst ˈam-ə-thəst 

-(ˌ)thist

1

: a clear purple or bluish violet variety of crystallized quartz used as a gem

2

: a medium purple

Etymology

Middle English amatiste "amethyst," from early French amatiste and Latin amethystus (both with the same meaning), from Greek amethystos, literally "remedy against drunkenness," from a- "not" and methyein "to be drunk," from methy "wine"

Word Origin

Gems were once believed to have magical qualities. An amethyst, for example, was supposed to have the power to prevent or cure drunkenness in its wearer. For this reason the Greeks gave it the name amethystos, which comes from the prefix a-, meaning "not," and methyein "to be drunk."