balas

American  

[bal-uhs, bay-luhs] / ˈbæl əs, ˈbeɪ ləs /

noun

Mineralogy.

1. a rose-red variety of spinel.

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balas British  

/ ˈbæləs, ˈbeɪ- /

noun

1. Also called: balas ruby. a red variety of spinel, used as a gemstone

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Etymology

Origin of balas

1375–1425; late Middle English < Medieval Latin balasius, variant of balascius < Arabic balakhsh, back formation from Persian Badakhshān, district near Samarkand, where gem is found

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

balas

The white were pearls; the clear and transparent, diamonds; the deep red, rubies; the paler, balas rubies; the green, emeralds; the blue, turquoises; the purple, amethysts; and those that were of yellow cast, sapphires.

From Types of Children's Literature by Walter Barnes

In 1382 a circlet crown was purchased for Queen Anne of Bohemia, being set with a large sapphire, a balas, and four large pearls with a diamond in the centre.

From Arts and Crafts in the Middle Ages A Description of Mediaeval Workmanship in Several of the Departments of Applied Art, Together with Some Account of Special Artisans in the Early Renaissance by Julia de Wolf Gibbs Addison

The white were pearls; the clear and transparent, diamonds; the deep red, rubies; the paler, balas rubies; the green, emeralds; the blue, turquoises; the purple, amethysts; and the yellow, sapphires.

From Fairy Tales Every Child Should Know by Hamilton Wright Mabie

A set of platters was sent from Paris to Richard II., all of gold, with balas rubies, pearls and sapphires set Page 38 in them.

From Arts and Crafts in the Middle Ages A Description of Mediaeval Workmanship in Several of the Departments of Applied Art, Together with Some Account of Special Artisans in the Early Renaissance by Julia de Wolf Gibbs Addison

And yet his work stands out from the ruck of the contemporary versifiers as a balas ruby among carrots. 

From Martin Eden by Jack London

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