Agate
/ˈæɡ.ət/noun
A banded variety of chalcedony, often used as a gemstone.
Did you know?The name was first applied by the ancient Greek philosopher Theophrastus to stones found near the river Achates in Sicily, turning a real landscape into a word that still names a crystal today.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἀχάτης (akhátēs)
“A type of gemstone, named for the river Achates in Sicily”
Latin
Latin
achates
“Agate; the gemstone name borrowed from Greek”
Old French
Old French
agate
“Agate, the gemstone”
14th Century
Middle English
agate
“Agate; a banded ornamental stone”
Modern English
English
agate
“A banded variety of chalcedony used as a gemstone”