Amethysts are clear purple stones, sometimes used to make jewellery.
The necklace consisted of amethysts set in gold.
...rows of amethyst beads.
Amethyst was believed by the Greeks to protect a person from drunkenness.
2. colour
Amethyst is used to describe things that are pale purple in colour.
...as the colours changed from green to amethyst.
...amethyst glass.
amethyst in British English
(ˈæmɪθɪst)
noun
1.
a purple or violet transparent variety of quartz used as a gemstone. Formula: SiO2
2.
a purple variety of sapphire; oriental amethyst
3.
the purple colour of amethyst
Derived forms
amethystine (ˌæmɪˈθɪstaɪn)
adjective
Word origin
C13: from Old French amatiste, from Latin amethystus, from Greek amethustos, literally: not drunken, from a-1 + methuein to make drunk; referring to the belief that the stone could prevent intoxication
amethyst in American English
(ˈæmɪθɪst)
noun
1.
a purple or violet variety of quartz, used in jewelry
ME ametist < OFr ametiste < L amethystus < Gr amethystos, not drunken (the Greeks believed that the amethyst prevented intoxication) < a-, not + methystos, drunken < methyein, to be drunken < methy, strong drink < IE *medhu-, honey, mead1