chalcedony

chalcedony
chalcedonic /kal'si don"ik/, chalcedonous, adj.
/kal sed"n ee, kal"seuh doh'nee/, n., pl. chalcedonies.
a microcrystalline, translucent variety of quartz, often milky or grayish.
[1275-1325; ME calcedonie < LL chalcedonius (Vulgate, Rev. XIX, 19), equiv. to chalcedon- ( < Gk chalkedón chalcedony, identified by Saint Jerome with Chalcedon, the city) + -ius -IOUS]

* * *

Very fine-grained variety of the silica mineral quartz.

A form of chert, it occurs in a great variety of colours, usually bluish white, gray, yellow, or brown. Other physical properties are those of quartz. For centuries, chalcedony has been the stone most used by gem engravers, and many varieties are still cut and polished as ornamental stones. See also agate; carnelian; onyx.

* * *

also spelled  calcedony 

      a very fine-grained (cryptocrystalline) variety of the silica mineral quartz (q.v.). A form of chert, it occurs in concretionary, mammillated, or stalactitic forms of waxy lustre and has a compact fibrous structure, a fine splintery fracture, and a great variety of colours—usually bluishwhite, gray, yellow, or brown. Other physical properties are those of quartz (see silica mineral [table]).

      In all ages chalcedony has been the stone most used by the gem engraver, and many coloured varieties are still cut and polished as ornamental stones. Chalcedonic pseudomorphs after other minerals often give rise to very interesting specimens. Hollow nodules of chalcedony containing water and an air bubble that is visible through the semitransparent wall have been found.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Chalcedony — A cut and polished Chalcedony geode General Category Oxide mineral Chemical formula …   Wikipedia

  • Chalcedony — Chal*ced o*ny (k[a^]l*s[e^]d [ o]*n[y^] or k[a^]l s[ e]*d[ o]*n[y^]; 277), n.; pl. {Chalcedonies} ( n[i^]z). [ L. chalcedonius, fr. Gr. CHalkhdw n Chalcedon, a town in Asia Minor, opposite to Byzantium: cf. calc[ e]doine, OE. calcidoine,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • chalcedony — (n.) c.1300, from L. calcedonius, in Vulgate translating Gk. khalkedon in Rev. xxi:19, found nowhere else. Connection with Chalcedon in Asia Minor is very doubtful [OED]. The city name is from Phoenician and means new town …   Etymology dictionary

  • chalcedony — ► NOUN (pl. chalcedonies) ▪ quartz occurring in a microcrystalline form such as onyx and agate. ORIGIN Greek khalk d n …   English terms dictionary

  • chalcedony — [kal sed′ n ē, kal′sə dō΄nē] n. pl. chalcedonies [ME & OFr calcedoine < LL (Vulg.) calcedonius, used to transl. Gr chalkēdōn (only in Rev. 21:19), a precious stone < ?] a type of quartz with a waxy luster and microscopic crystals often… …   English World dictionary

  • chalcedony — chalcedonas statusas T sritis chemija apibrėžtis Amorfinė mikrokristalinė kvarco atmaina. formulė SiO₂ atitikmenys: angl. chalcedony rus. хальцедон …   Chemijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • Chalcedony Hotel — (Ханой,Вьетнам) Категория отеля: 4 звездочный отель Адрес: 4 Nguyen Truong To , Бад …   Каталог отелей

  • chalcedony — noun (plural nies) Etymology: Middle English calcedonie, a precious stone, from Anglo French, from Late Latin chalcedonius, from Greek Chalkēdōn Chalcedon Date: 13th century a translucent variety of quartz of various colors and waxy luster •… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • chalcedony — noun /kælˈsɛdəni/ A form of fine grained quartz that is nearly transparent or has a milky translucence; it fractures conchoidally …   Wiktionary

  • Chalcedony —    Mentioned only in Rev. 21:19, as one of the precious stones in the foundation of the New Jerusalem. The name of this stone is derived from Chalcedon, where it is said to have been first discovered. In modern mineralogy this is the name of an… …   Easton's Bible Dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”