lapis lazuli
UK /ˌlap.ɪs ˈlaz.jʊ.laɪ/ · US /ˌlæp.ɪs ˈlæz.(j)ə.li/ noun, adjective
Forms lapides lazuli lapis lazulis
- noun (mineralogy) A deep blue stone, used in making jewelry, and traditionally used to make the pigment ultramarine.
- noun A deep, bright blue, like that of the stone.
- adjective Of a deep, bright blue, like that of the stone.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English lapis lazuli, from Medieval Latin lapis (“stone”) + lazulī, genitive singular of lazulum (“lapis lazuli, azure, the sky”), from Arabic لَازُوَرْد (lāzuward, “lapis lazuli, azure”), from Persian لاجورد (lâjvard). Compare azure, of the same origin.
Webster’s 1913
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “lapis lazuli”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details