10 definitions found for heliotrope

Heliotrope HE'LIOTROPE, n. [Gr. the sun, and to turn.]
1. Among the ancients, an instrument or machine for showing when the sun arrived at the tropics and the equinoctial line.
2. A genus or plants, the turnsole.
3. A mineral, a subspecies of rhomboidal quartz, of a deep green color, peculiarly pleasant to the eye. It is usually variegated with blood red or yellowish dots, and is more or less translucent. Before the blowpipe, it loses its color. It is generally supposed to be chalcedony, colored by green earth or chlorite.

heliotrope n 1: green chalcedony with red spots that resemble blood [syn: bloodstone, heliotrope]

heliotrope "plant which turns its flowers and leaves to the sun," c.1626, from Fr. heliotrope, from L. heliotropium, from Gk. heliotropion, from helios "sun" + tropos "turn." The word was applied c.1000-1600 in L. form to sunflowers and marigolds.

heliotrope noun Etymology: Latin heliotropium, from Greek hēliotropion, from hēlio- ¹heli- + tropos turn; from its flowers' turning toward the sun — more at trope Date: 1605 1. any of a genus (Heliotropium) of herbs or shrubs of the borage family — compare garden heliotrope 2. bloodstone 3. a variable color averaging a moderate to reddish purple

heliotrope
n.
1 a any plant of the genus Heliotropium, with fragrant purple flowers. b the scent of these.
2 a light purple colour.
3 bloodstone.
Etymology: L heliotropium f. Gk heliotropion plant turning its flowers to the sun, f. helios sun + -tropos f. trepo turn

heliotrope ˈheljətrəup n. 1 a any plant of the genus Heliotropium, with fragrant purple flowers. b the scent of these. 2 a light purple colour. 3 bloodstone. [L heliotropium f. Gk heliotropion plant turning its flowers to the sun, f. helios sun + -tropos f. trepo turn]

Heliotrope or Bloodstone a variety of quartz (chalcedony or jasper) of a deep green colour, with bright red spots. The finest specimens, which come from South Asia, are of fairly translucent chalcedony; those of jasper are opaque; they are used as seals, ring-stones, &c.

Bloodstone Blood"stone`, n. (Min.) (a) A green siliceous stone sprinkled with red jasper, as if with blood; hence the name; -- called also heliotrope. (b) Hematite, an ore of iron yielding a blood red powder or ``streak.''

Heliotrope He"li*o*trope, n. [F. h['e]liotrope, L. heliotropium, Gr. ?; ? the sun + ? to turn, ? turn. See Heliacal, Trope.] 1. (Anc. Astron.) An instrument or machine for showing when the sun arrived at the tropics and equinoctial line. 2. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Heliotropium; -- called also turnsole and girasole. H. Peruvianum is the commonly cultivated species with fragrant flowers. 3. (Geodesy & Signal Service) An instrument for making signals to an observer at a distance, by means of the sun's rays thrown from a mirror. 4. (Min.) See Bloodstone (a) . Heliotrope purple, a grayish purple color.

heliotrope n. 1. (Bot.) Turnsole. 2. (Min.) Bloodstone.