onyx

[ on-iks, oh-niks ]

/ ˈɒn ɪks, ˈoʊ nɪks /

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See synonyms for onyx on Thesaurus.com

noun

Mineralogy. a variety of chalcedony having straight parallel bands of alternating colors.Compare Mexican onyx.

(not used technically) an unbanded chalcedony dyed for ornamental purposes.

black, especially a pure or jet black.

Medicine/Medical. a nail of a finger or toe.

adjective

black, especially jet black.

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Origin of onyx

1250–1300; Middle English onix<Latin onyx<Greek ónyx nail, claw, veined gem

Words nearby onyx

onychophagia, onychophoran, -onym, onymous, on your life, onyx, onyxis, onyx marble, ONZ, o'o, ooblast

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT ONYX

What does onyx mean?

Onyx is a gemstone that’s especially known for its opaque, all-black variety.

Other varieties are black with with different-colored layers, including white.

Onyx is commonly used in jewelry. Historically, onyx was popular as a material for cameos—engraved gems. Sometimes, it is dyed or artificially colored.

Onyx is one of the birthstones for the month of July. It is associated with the zodiac sign Leo.

The word onyx is also used to refer to a very deep black color (jet-black) or describe things that are that color.

Example: In this ring, the sparkling diamonds are a perfect contrast to the jet-black onyx in the center.

Where does onyx come from?

The first records of the word onyx come from the 1200s. It comes from the Greek ónyx, meaning “nail,” “claw,” or “veined gem.”

Onyx is a variety of the mineral chalcedony, a kind of quartz. The gemstone known as sardonyx is another variety of chalcedony that’s reddish-brown with white layers.

The all-black variety of onyx is sometimes confused with the volcanic glass obsidian. It is also sometimes incorrectly referred to as Mexican onyx or onyx marble.

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What are some synonyms for onyx?

jet-black

What are some words that share a root or word element with onyx?

What are some words that often get used in discussing onyx?

How is onyx used in real life?

Onyx is common in jewelry. It’s best known for its all-black variety.

A nap sounds pretty good right about now. A nymph sleeping beneath a tree is depicted on this Renaissance-era onyx gem, obj. 29-128-1854 in our Mediterranean Section: https://t.co/1eRMhMLEW7 #NationalNappingDay pic.twitter.com/akv4lU4uGB

— Penn Museum (@pennmuseum) March 12, 2018

Cup of the Ptolemies, maybe from Alexandria, Egypt, 3rd to 1st c. BC. Onyx cameo cup. Eventually, it found its way into the treasury of the French kingdom. In 1804, the cup was stolen, and the mounts lost. The cup itself was recovered and is now in the BNF, Paris. pic.twitter.com/CdiazQQWph

— CARAA (@CARAA_Center) December 31, 2018

Anyone that knows me knows I can't resist jewellery that involves snakes 🐍 and the onyx stone just makes it even better! pic.twitter.com/adA3ph1uZV

— 𓆘 SJ (@_sophiejessica_) November 14, 2020

Try using onyx!

True or False?

Onyx is always jet-black.

How to use onyx in a sentence

With age, the lungs’ lymph nodes — which filter foreign substances and contain immune cells — became loaded with particulate matter, turning them a deep onyx, the research team found.
Pollution mucks up the lungs’ immune defenses over time|Aimee Cunningham|November 21, 2022|Science News
By contrast this cup is made of gold, onyx, precious stones, and the stone agate.
Spain’s New ‘Holy Grail’: Jesus Couldn’t Afford That Kind of Bling|Candida Moss|April 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On the pink cotton inside lay a clasp of black onyx, on which was inlaid a curious symbol or letter in gold.
Read ‘The King in Yellow,’ the ‘True Detective’ Reference That’s the Key to the Show|Robert W. Chambers|February 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The 1952 onyx & diamond panther bracelet sold for $7,036,874, the highest ever paid for a bracelet or any Cartier at auction.
Buying the Royal Jewels|Martyn Gregory|December 3, 2010|DAILY BEAST

At the Men of ONYX booth, I decided to give the Butt Plug Toss a whirl.
Getting Whipped at Leather Pride|Spencer Morgan|June 26, 2009|DAILY BEAST
The body had fallen at the base of one of the great onyx columns, near the side wall of the lobby.
In the Onyx Lobby|Carolyn Wells
The seal was a heavy, square onyx, with a foul anchor engraved on one side.
Belford's Magazine, Vol. II, No. 3, February 1889|Various
A close inspection would also separate them into several varieties—as onyx, agate, dotted agate, &c.
Summary Narrative of an Exploratory Expedition to the Sources of the Mississippi River, in 1820|Henry Rowe Schoolcraft
The columns and pillars of onyx and bronze held up a magnificent ceiling, broken by the circular stained glass of the skylight.
The Enemies of Women|Vicente Blasco Ibez
One of the most beautiful stalagmitic rocks is the so-called onyx marble of Algeria.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 17, Slice 6|Various

British Dictionary definitions for onyx

onyx

/ (ˈɒnɪks) /

noun

a variety of chalcedony with alternating black and white parallel bands, used as a gemstone. Formula: SiO 2

a compact variety of calcite used as an ornamental stone; onyx marble. Formula: CaCO 3

Word Origin for onyx

C13: from Latin from Greek: fingernail (so called from its veined appearance)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for onyx

onyx

[ ŏn′ĭks ]

A type of chalcedony that occurs in straight and parallel bands of different colors, often black and white.

onyx

Origin of onyx

Words nearby onyx

MORE ABOUT ONYX

What does onyx mean?

Where does onyx come from?

Did you know … ?

How is onyx used in real life?

Try using onyx!

Words related to onyx

How to use onyx in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for onyx

Word Origin for onyx

Scientific definitions for onyx