sapphire
/ˈsæfaɪə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsæfaɪər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsa-ˌfī(-ə)r/ (ame, mw) · /ˈsæf.aɪər/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsæf.aɪr/ (ame, ipa)
sapphire — noun
- sapphiresingular
- sapphiresplural
1. a precious stone that is usually bright blue and is used in jewellery or for dec
a precious stone that is usually bright blue and is used in jewellery or for decoration. The term also covers corundum gemstones in other colours (pink, yellow, green), but red corundum is called ruby.
Amira's engagement ring has a large sapphire set in white gold.
collocation: sapphire set in [metal]
The crown jewels include several deep-blue sapphires from Sri Lanka.
collocation: deep-blue sapphire from [origin]
Piotr bought a small sapphire necklace for his grandmother's birthday.
Sapphires are sometimes heated to make their colour more even.
Unlike rubies, sapphires can be found in pink, yellow, or green as well as blue.
- corundum
the mineral family that includes both sapphire and ruby; a technical, not everyday, term
- gemstone
a broader category — all sapphires are gemstones but not all gemstones are sapphires
- precious stone
a general term covering diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires
文法句型
a/the sapphire
sapphires (plural)
sapphire as material
用法筆記
Only red corundum qualifies as ruby; all other colours (pink, yellow, green, orange, purple, and colourless) are called sapphire. A 'blue sapphire' is the most common type, but the word 'blue' alone can be omitted since blue is the default association — unless the sapphire is a different colour.
常見錯誤
2. a vivid blue shade that matches the look of a typical sapphire gemstone — medium
a vivid blue shade that matches the look of a typical sapphire gemstone — medium-to-deep in tone, with no green or grey mixed in.
The summer sky was a brilliant sapphire that seemed to stretch forever.
collocation: brilliant sapphire [sky]
Nellie painted the front door a rich sapphire to match the shutters.
The butterfly's wings shimmered in shades of sapphire and emerald.
Aarav chose a sapphire-blue tie for the wedding party.
The waters of the lagoon were a clear, deep sapphire under the midday sun.
- ultramarine
a deep, slightly purplish blue often used in painting; more technical than sapphire
- azure
a bright, sky-blue colour; lighter than sapphire
- lapis lazuli
a deep blue stone used in jewellery; the colour is very similar to sapphire
文法句型
a deep sapphire
shades of sapphire
sapphire + colour word (e.g. sapphire-blue)
用法筆記
Sapphire as a colour name often appears in compound adjectives ('sapphire-blue', 'sapphire-coloured'). It is less common than basic colour names (blue, dark blue) and is used for a more vivid or luxurious description.
常見錯誤
sapphire — adjective
- sapphirepositive
- more sapphirecomparative
- most sapphiresuperlative
1. coloured in a vivid shade of blue like that of a sapphire gemstone — medium-to-d
coloured in a vivid shade of blue like that of a sapphire gemstone — medium-to-deep in tone, found especially in literary descriptions of the sky, water, eyes, or clothing.
Yara wore a beautiful sapphire dress to the evening party.
collocation: sapphire dress
The old library had stunning sapphire glass windows.
A sapphire sky greeted the hikers at the mountain peak.
Wei's new car is a metallic sapphire blue that shines in the sunlight.
The artist mixed paint to achieve the perfect sapphire hue for the ocean scene.
- sapphire-blue
a compound form that sounds more natural in everyday speech than sapphire alone
- deep blue
a more general and common way to describe the same colour
- azure
a brighter, sky-blue shade; less deep than sapphire
文法句型
sapphire + noun (sapphire sky, sapphire eyes, sapphire dress)
用法筆記
Sapphire as an adjective is almost always used before a noun (attributive position). You would not say 'the sky was sapphire' in everyday speech — instead use 'the sky was a deep sapphire' (noun) or 'the sky was sapphire-blue' (compound).
常見錯誤
❌ 'She has sapphire eyes.' — This is actually correct, but can sound literary or old-fashioned. A more natural alternative is 'She has sapphire-blue eyes.'