Sapphire
/ˈsæfaɪər/noun
A precious blue gemstone, or a deep blue color.
Did you know?In antiquity, the word often referred to blue stones more broadly, and ancient writers linked sapphires with the heavens because their color mirrored the sky.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sap-
“Likely a pre-Greek or unknown substrate source; the ultimate origin is uncertain.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
sappheiros
“A blue precious stone, often likely lapis lazuli rather than modern sapphire.”
Late Latin
Latin
sapphīrus
“A sapphire or blue gem.”
Old French
Old French
saphir
“Sapphire; the blue precious stone.”
Middle English
English
saphir / sapphyr
“A sapphire, the blue gemstone.”
Modern English
English
sapphire
“A precious blue gemstone or the color blue of that stone.”