star sapphire
1
7.4
- noun
- /stɑr ˈsæfaɪr/
- Specialized
:
zafiro estrella
- She wore a stunning gold ring featuring a star sapphire that shimmered like a night sky.
Examples
-
It was a star sapphire ring with two diamonds set in an ornately carved gold band.
Blog text (30) -
What's that thing, um, up there that looks like a star sapphire?
-
It's platinum... ...six diamonds and a star sapphire.
-
..a star sapphire.
-
He reached for the note, a star sapphire as big as a dime flashing on his little finger.
Fiction book (1993) -
The jeweler showed me a beautiful star sapphire pendant that had a unique starlike pattern.
-
He admired the star sapphire in the display case, captivated by its striking appearance.
Synonyms
47
1.3
A small valuable stone cut and polished for use in jewelry or decoration
18
4.8
A precious blue stone used in rings or necklaces
15
3.3
A hard, shiny stone cut and polished for use in jewelry
A gemstone that shows a star pattern when light hits it
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and transparently built from 'star' (a star-like pattern) modifying 'sapphire' (a gemstone) — i.e. a sapphire that shows a star-shaped reflection. This concrete, descriptive noun+noun composition follows common cross-linguistic compounding patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the intended meaning.
Etymology
Star sapphire names a kind of sapphire that seems to hold a bright star inside when light hits the stone. Tiny lines inside the gem reflect the light into a star pattern, so the name explains the gem's 'star-like' appearance today.