n. & adj.
n. 1 a transparent blue precious stone consisting of corundum. 2 precious transparent corundum of any colour. 3 the bright blue of a sapphire. 4 a humming-bird with bright blue colouring.
adj. of sapphire blue. sapphire wedding a 45th wedding anniversary. sapphirine adj.
[ ME f. OF safir f. L sapphirus f. Gk sappheiros prob. = lapis lazuli ]