Adjacent Words

Ruby definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

RU'BY, n. [L. rubeo, to be red.]
1. A precious stone; a mineral of a carmine red color, sometimes verging to violet, or intermediate between carmine and hyacinth red; but its parts vary in color, and hence it is called sapphire ruby or orange red, and by some vermeille or rubicel.
There are two kinds of ruby, the oriental or corundum, and the spinelle. The latter is distinguishable from the former by its color and crystallization.
The ruby is next in hardness and value to the diamond, and highly esteemed in jewelry.
2. Redness; red color.
3. Any thing red.
4. A blain; a blotch; a carbuncle. [The ruby is said to be the stone called by Pliny a carbuncle.]
Ruby of arsenic or sulphur, is the realgar, or red combination of arsenic and sulphur.
Ruby of zink, is the red blend.
Rock ruby, the amethystizontes of the ancients, is the most value species of garnet.
RU'BY, v.t. To make red.
RU'BY, a. Of the color of the ruby; red; as ruby lips.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: of a color at the end of the color spectrum (next to orange); resembling the color of blood or cherries or tomatoes or rubies [syn: red, reddish, ruddy, blood-red, carmine, cerise, cherry, cherry-red, crimson, ruby, ruby-red, scarlet] n
1: a transparent piece of ruby that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem
2: a transparent deep red variety of corundum; used as a gemstone and in lasers
3: a deep and vivid red color [syn: crimson, ruby, deep red]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun (plural rubies) Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French rubi, rubin, from Medieval Latin rubinus, from Latin rubeus reddish; akin to Latin ruber red — more at red Date: 14th century 1. a. a precious stone that is a red corundum b. something (as a watch bearing) made of ruby 2. a. the dark red color of the ruby b. something resembling a ruby in color II. adjective Date: 1508 of the color ruby

Britannica Concise

Gemstone composed of transparent red corundum. Its color varies from deep to pale red, in some cases with a tinge of purple, depending on chromium and iron content; the most valued is a pigeon-blood red. When it is cut and polished, ruby is a brilliant (light-deflecting) stone, but it lacks fire (flashes of color). Ruby is a mineral of very limited distribution. Its best-known source is in Myanmar, and rubies have also been found in Thailand, Sri Lanka, and elsewhere. Rubies have been produced synthtetically with much success; those containing 2.5% chromic oxide have the prized pigeon-blood red color.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n., adj., & v. --n. (pl. -ies) 1 a rare precious stone consisting of corundum with a colour varying from deep crimson or purple to pale rose. 2 a glowing purple-tinged red colour. --adj. of this colour. --v.tr. (-ies, -ied) dye or tinge ruby-colour. Phrases and idioms: ruby glass glass coloured with oxides of copper, iron, lead, tin, etc. ruby-tail a wasp, Chrysis ignita, with a ruby-coloured hinder part. ruby wedding the fortieth anniversary of a wedding. Etymology: ME f. OF rubi f. med.L rubinus (lapis) red (stone), rel. to L rubeus red

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Ruby Ru"by, a. Ruby-colored; red; as, ruby lips.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Ruby Ru"by, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rubied; p. pr. & vb. n. Rubying.] To make red; to redden. [R.] --Pope.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Ruby Ru"by, n.; pl. Rubies. [F. rubis (cf. Pr. robi), LL. rubinus, robinus, fr. L. rubeus red, reddish, akin to ruber. See Rouge, red.] 1. (Min.) A precious stone of a carmine red color, sometimes verging to violet, or intermediate between carmine and hyacinth red. It is a red crystallized variety of corundum. Note: Besides the true or Oriental ruby above defined, there are the balas ruby, or ruby spinel, a red variety of spinel, and the rock ruby, a red variety of garnet.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(rubies) A ruby is a dark red jewel. ...a ruby and diamond ring. N-COUNT

Easton's Bible Dictionary

(Heb. peninim), only in plural (Lam. 4:7). The ruby was one of the stones in the high priest's breastplate (Ex. 28:17). A comparison is made between the value of wisdom and rubies (Job 28:18; Prov. 3:15; 8:11). The price of a virtuous woman is said to be "far above rubies" (Prov. 31:10). The exact meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain. Some render it "red coral;" others, "pearl" or "mother-of-pearl."

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

roo'-bi.

See STONES, PRECIOUS.

Moby Thesaurus

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