agate
noun
a variegated chalcedony showing curved, colored bands or other markings.
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agate
American
[ag-it]
/ ˈæg ɪt /
noun
-
a variegated chalcedony showing curved, colored bands or other markings.
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a playing marble made of this substance, or of glass in imitation of it.
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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
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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
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.
Jacob and Lucy Agate watched It's a Wonderful Life at the sold-out Woolton Picture House on Christmas Eve before Jacob appeared on the big screen at the end of the film.
From BBC • Dec. 26, 2025
The seal stone is called the Pylos Combat Agate.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 10, 2025
Latvian teenager Agate Caune used a bold strategy in heat one of the 5,000.
From Washington Times • Aug. 23, 2023
But Doug Seibold of Agate Publishing suggested she write about foraging next.
From Washington Post • Jan. 30, 2023
It never became a public park on the Agate Passage.
From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
