chrysoberyl

American  

[kris-uh-ber-uhl] / ˈkrɪs əˌbɛr əl /

noun

1. a mineral, beryllium aluminate, BeAl 2 O 4 , occurring in green or yellow crystals, sometimes used as a gem.

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chrysoberyl British  

/ ˈkrɪsəˌbɛrɪl /

noun

1. a rare very hard greenish-yellow mineral consisting of beryllium aluminate in orthorhombic crystalline form and occurring in coarse granite: used as a gemstone in the form of cat's eye and alexandrite. Formula: BeAl 2 O 4

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Etymology

Origin of chrysoberyl

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin chrȳsoberyllus < Greek chrȳsobḗryllos, equivalent to chrȳso- chryso- + bḗryllos beryl

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chrysoberyl

Other stones of less value—such as topaz, spinel, chrysoberyl, chrysolite, zircon and tourmaline—are sometimes called “fancy stones.”

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 5 "Gassendi, Pierre" to "Geocentric" by Various

Also the more valuable chrysoberyl cat's-eye may be confused with the cheaper quartz cat's-eye unless one is well acquainted with the respective appearances of the two varieties.

From A Text-Book of Precious Stones for Jewelers and the Gem-Loving Public by Wade, Frank Bertram

After chrysoberyl come the materials rated as about 8 in hardness.

From A Text-Book of Precious Stones for Jewelers and the Gem-Loving Public by Wade, Frank Bertram

The great attraction of the sale was "The Hindoo Lingam God," consisting of a chrysoberyl cat's-eye fixed in a topaz, and mounted in a pyramidal base studded with diamonds and precious stones.

From Our Cats and All About Them Their Varieties, Habits, and Management; and for Show, the Standard of Excellence and Beauty; Described and Pictured by Weir, Harrison

It never occurs naturally in the free state, but is always combined, usually with silica or alumina, or both; as in the minerals phenacite, chrysoberyl, beryl or emerald, euclase, and danalite.

From The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary Section F, G and H by Project Gutenberg