spinel ruby
- noun
- /spɪˈnɛl ˈruːbi/
- Specialized
:
espinela rubí
- Many historic 'rubies' in royal crowns were actually spinel ruby rather than true ruby.
Examples
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The museum displayed a magnificent spinel ruby among its collection of rare gemstones.
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Collectors value a fine spinel ruby for its brilliant color and rarity.
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The spinel ruby sparkled beautifully in the sunlight.
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She bought a stunning spinel ruby necklace.
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Many historic 'rubies' in royal crowns were actually spinel ruby rather than true ruby.
-
The museum displayed a magnificent spinel ruby among its collection of rare gemstones.
-
Collectors value a fine spinel ruby for its brilliant color and rarity.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A hard shiny stone used as a gem that comes in many colors
A dark red gemstone that looks like a ruby but costs less
How Red
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward noun–noun compound: a B1 learner who knows 'spinel' (a gemstone) and 'ruby' (a red precious stone) can infer it refers to a spinel that is ruby-like or a red gemstone resembling a ruby. The meaning is compositionally predictable (a type/variety relation), so while specialist gemological nuance may be lost, the basic sense is transparent to learners.
Etymology
Spinel ruby comes from old jewelers who called many deep red stones ruby; when the different stone spinel made similar red gems, people said spinel ruby to show it looked like a 'true ruby' but was not the same. That's why spinel ruby now means a red spinel often mistaken for a 'true ruby'.