agate
noun
a variegated chalcedony showing curved, colored bands or other markings.
agate
American
[ag-it]
/ ˈæg ɪt /
noun
-
agates
plural
-
a variegated chalcedony showing curved, colored bands or other markings.
-
a playing marble made of this substance, or of glass in imitation of it.
-
Printing. a 5½-point type of a size between pearl and nonpareil.
Agate
1
British
/ ˈæɡeɪt /
noun
agate
2
British
/ ˈæɡɪt /
noun
-
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
-
a playing marble of this quartz or resembling it
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Also called: ruby. printing (formerly) a size of printer's type approximately equal to 5 1/ 2 point
agate
3
British
/ əˈɡeɪt /
adverb
agate
Scientific
/ ăg′ĭt /
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
Vocabulary lists containing agate
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Gold and silver inlay work and green agate stones complete the garment.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
The doorknob-size piece, inlaid with carnelian, agate and lapis lazuli flowers reminiscent of the Taj, exemplifies how even the smallest functional item would be meticulously crafted and decorated in a consistent style in Mughal workshops.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
The star of this look into the ancient, not widely known Mycenaean kingdom of Pylos was a tiny agate, barely 1.3 inches wide, making its public debut outside Europe.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 8, 2025
Among his tasks in Metro was putting together the weather page, assembling all that agate type that listed highs and lows across the country.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 8, 2023
Kaori had never actually seen a snakeskin agate, after all, but she’d studied endless pages of gems online, and she knew which ones were used for what.
From "Hello, Universe" by Erin Entrada Kelly
Latvian teenager Agate Caune used a bold strategy in heat one of the 5,000.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 23, 2023
One of the Douglas children was accused of “bringing a weapon to school for the purposes of attacking teachers,” but he had actually brought his Agate rock collection, the parents alleged.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 28, 2023
But Doug Seibold of Agate Publishing suggested she write about foraging next.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 30, 2023
Joe Agate, 27, from Chorley in Lancashire, was proudly wearing an England top around the Souk on Wednesday, but at the game he was "in disguise in The Red Wall".
From BBC ● Nov. 30, 2022
L. N. Channing of the Agate Point radio transmitter station, addressed the defense commission meeting.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
Some 75% of sales of pieces including amethyst, sea glass and agates from her business, CindyLouWho2, based in Calgary, Alberta, come from Americans.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
Ringed’s moss agates range from 2.5 to 3.5 in carat weight and retail for $240 to $400.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 2, 2022
Another tour de force is “Rock Shop,” which centers on a display of sliced agates and geodes in colors that verge on the artificial — each stone is a little painting edged in glitter.
From New York Times ● Sep. 16, 2021
It is hard not to be charmed by Lowell’s hyperventilating report on his agates and turtles and toy soldiers, but the word “mania” suggests that he suspected the darker fortunes to come.
From The New Yorker ● Mar. 13, 2017
They pointed to the swans, which had been identical before but now were strange—one fanged and made of agates and moss, another seeming dipped in gold.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
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