sapphire

sapphire — noun

1. a precious stone that is usually bright blue and is used in jewellery or for dec

1.nounB1
Definition

a precious stone that is usually bright blue and is used in jewellery or for decoration. The term also covers corundum gemstones in other colours (pink, yellow, green), but red corundum is called ruby.

Example

Amira's engagement ring has a large sapphire set in white gold.

collocation: sapphire set in [metal]

The crown jewels include several deep-blue sapphires from Sri Lanka.

collocation: deep-blue sapphire from [origin]

Common collocations
  • precious sapphire
  • blue sapphire
  • pink sapphire
  • sapphire ring
  • sapphire necklace
  • sapphire earrings
  • sapphire mine
  • cut sapphire
  • flawless sapphire
  • star sapphire
  • sapphire crystal
Synonyms
  • corundum

    the mineral family that includes both sapphire and ruby; a technical, not everyday, term

  • gemstone

    a broader category — all sapphires are gemstones but not all gemstones are sapphires

  • precious stone

    a general term covering diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires

Grammar Patterns

a/the sapphire

sapphires (plural)

sapphire as material

Usage Note

Only red corundum qualifies as ruby; all other colours (pink, yellow, green, orange, purple, and colourless) are called sapphire. A 'blue sapphire' is the most common type, but the word 'blue' alone can be omitted since blue is the default association — unless the sapphire is a different colour.

Common Mistakes

She wore a blue sapphire ring.
She wore a sapphire ring.
Adding 'blue' is usually redundant because sapphires are assumed to be blue unless stated otherwise.
The ruby is a red sapphire.
The ruby is a red corundum; sapphire and ruby are different varieties of the same mineral.
Red corundum is never called sapphire.

2. a vivid blue shade that matches the look of a typical sapphire gemstone — medium

2.nounB1
Definition

a vivid blue shade that matches the look of a typical sapphire gemstone — medium-to-deep in tone, with no green or grey mixed in.

Example

The summer sky was a brilliant sapphire that seemed to stretch forever.

collocation: brilliant sapphire [sky]

Nellie painted the front door a rich sapphire to match the shutters.

Common collocations
  • deep sapphire
  • rich sapphire
  • brilliant sapphire
  • shades of sapphire
  • sapphire blue
  • sapphire-coloured
Synonyms
  • ultramarine

    a deep, slightly purplish blue often used in painting; more technical than sapphire

  • azure

    a bright, sky-blue colour; lighter than sapphire

  • lapis lazuli

    a deep blue stone used in jewellery; the colour is very similar to sapphire

Grammar Patterns

a deep sapphire

shades of sapphire

sapphire + colour word (e.g. sapphire-blue)

Usage Note

Sapphire as a colour name often appears in compound adjectives ('sapphire-blue', 'sapphire-coloured'). It is less common than basic colour names (blue, dark blue) and is used for a more vivid or luxurious description.

Common Mistakes

The ocean was a sapphire blue colour.
The ocean was a deep sapphire.
The word 'sapphire' already implies a colour; you don't need to add 'blue colour'.

sapphire — adjective

Word family

  • sapphirine
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Sapphire, ruby, emerald, and diamond are all precious stones, but they differ in colour, rarity, and cultural associations. Sapphires are most famous for their rich blue colour, though natural deposits yield pink, yellow, green, and even colourless varieties — only red corundum is called ruby. Rubies command the highest price per carat of any coloured gemstone, while emeralds are prized for their vivid green but have more internal flaws. Diamonds, measured on a pure colourless-to-yellow scale, are the hardest natural material and dominate the engagement-ring market. In everyday language, 'sapphire' alone implies blue, so specifying 'pink sapphire' signals a less common variety. All four stones have been mined for centuries and carry strong symbolic meanings: sapphire suggests wisdom and loyalty, ruby passion, emerald rebirth, and diamond endurance.

sapphire ↗rubyemerald ↗diamond ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • deep sapphire
  • rich sapphire
  • brilliant sapphire
  • sapphire blue
  • sapphire-coloured
  • star sapphire
  • sapphire crystal

Prepositions

  • of sapphire
  • in sapphire
  • set with sapphires

Etymology

Semitic (Hebrew)GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'sapphire' entered English in the 13th century through Old French 'saphir', from Latin 'sapphīrus', and earlier from Greek 'sappheiros' (σάπφειρος). Curiously, the Greek word originally referred to lapis lazuli — a deep blue stone with golden flecks — rather than the corundum gem we call sapphire today. It was only in the medieval period that the name was transferred to the blue variety of corundum. The root may trace further back to a Semitic source, possibly Hebrew 'sappīr' (סַפִּיר), which itself described a precious blue stone in the Hebrew Bible.