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• agate
  agate

  noun

  a variegated chalcedony showing curved, colored bands or other markings.
• Agate
  Agate

  noun

  James ( Evershed ). 1877–1947, British theatre critic; drama critic for The Sunday Times (1923–47) and author of a nine-volume diary Ego (1935–49)

agate

American  

[ag-it] / ˈæg ɪt /

noun

1. a variegated chalcedony showing curved, colored bands or other markings.

2. a playing marble made of this substance, or of glass in imitation of it.

3. Printing. a 5½-point type of a size between pearl and nonpareil.

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Agate ¹ British  

/ ˈæɡeɪt /

noun

1. James ( Evershed ). 1877–1947, British theatre critic; drama critic for The Sunday Times (1923–47) and author of a nine-volume diary Ego (1935–49)

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agate ² British  

/ ˈæɡɪt /

noun

1. an impure microcrystalline form of quartz consisting of a variegated, usually banded chalcedony, used as a gemstone and in making pestles and mortars, burnishers, and polishers. Formula: SiO 2

2. a playing marble of this quartz or resembling it

3. Also called: ruby.  printing (formerly) a size of printer's type approximately equal to 5 1/ 2 point

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agate ³ British  

/ əˈɡeɪt /

adverb

1. dialect on the way

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agate Scientific  

/ ăg′ĭt /

1. A type of very fine-grained quartz found in various colors that are arranged in bands or in cloudy patterns. The bands form when water rich with silica enters empty spaces in rock, after which the silica comes out of solution and forms crystals, gradually filling the spaces from the outside inward. The different colors are the result of various impurities in the water.

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Usage

What is agate? Agate is a variety of the mineral chalcedony (a type of quartz), specifically one with bands or stripes or other markings. It is often considered a gemstone. It can occur in a wide variety of colors, including white, yellow, red, and black. The key quality of agate is its banding, which is crystal that has formed in the rock. Agate is considered a semiprecious stone, which is a label assigned to some stones that have a lesser value than those considered precious. When used in jewelry, agate is often cut into a shape called a cabochon, which is polished but not cut into facets. When loose (not set in jewelry), they are often sold in the form of a geode or slab. Several forms of chalcedony are considered agates if they contain banding, including the gemstones onyx and sardonyx. Specific kinds of agate are named for their colors and patterns. For example, moss agate features a green pattern that resembles moss. Agate is one of the traditional birthstones for the months of May and June. It is associated with the zodiac sign Gemini. Example: I bought a beautiful yellow agate geode at the rock and crystal shop.

Other Word Forms

• agatelike
  adjective
• agatoid
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of agate

1150–1200; Middle English ac ( c ) ate, achate, agaten (compare Dutch agaat, Old Saxon agāt, Old High German agat ), apparently < Old French agathe or Italian agata (initial stress) ≪ Medieval Latin achātēs < Greek achā́tēs

Explanation

Agate is a gemstone that's similar to quartz. Jewelry, including pins and earrings, is sometimes made from agate. Agate is mainly found in volcanic rock, and it's often distinguished by its lines or bands, a result of silicate material layering as it filled in cracks in these ancient rocks. Agate has long been used for carving ornaments and vessels, including beads, marbles, jewelry, mortars, and pestles. The name agate comes from the Greek akhates, the name of a river in Sicily where the stone was commonly found about 3,000 years ago.

Example Sentences

In 1904, Angela Collins, the widow of one of Seattle’s most successful businessmen and former mayor, bought 45 acres at Agate Point for a weekend and summer retreat on the beach.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 14, 2023

Latvian teenager Agate Caune used a bold strategy in heat one of the 5,000.

From Washington Times • Aug. 23, 2023

Four hours before the final of the men’s 100, a gray cargo van pulled up to the Agate Street curb outside Hayward Field, the University of Oregon’s track and field stadium.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2023

But Doug Seibold of Agate Publishing suggested she write about foraging next.

From Washington Post • Jan. 30, 2023

Another benefit dance was held, and the enlisted men at the Agate Point station were invited as guests of honor.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

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