topaz
(ˈtəʊpæz)
Forms: 3 tupace, 3–7 topace, 4–6 topias, 5 thopas, topeus, tapace, (topyes), 5–7 topas, topaze, topase, 6– topaz. β. 4 topasie; (topazius), 7 topasius.
[ME. a. OF. topaze, topace, -ase (Roland, 11th c.), mod.F. topaze = Prov. topazi, Sp. topacio, Pg. topazio, It. topazio, ad. L. topazus (also later topazius, -ion), a. Gr. τόπαζος, -ιον, a foreign word; according to Pliny named from an island in the Red or Arabian Sea, where it abounded; but thought by some to be connected with Skr. tapas heat, fire.]
1. The name given (with or without distinguishing adjunct) to several highly valued precious stones. a. According to King, Antique Gems 26, given by the Greeks and Romans to the yellow topaz or oriental topaz, a yellow sapphire or corundum; by Pliny, also to the modern chrysolite. b. In modern use (true topaz or occidental topaz), a fluo-silicate of aluminium, usually in prismatic crystals, transparent and lustrous, yellow, white, pale blue, or pale green, found in Brazil, Mexico, Saxony, Scotland, the Ural Mountains, etc.
Also with distinctive adjuncts: false topaz, a transparent pale yellow variety of quartz; pink t., pink or rose-coloured topaz, artificially produced from the yellow Brazilian stone by exposure to strong heat; Scottish or smoky t., the smoky variety found in Scotland; Siberian t., a bluish white variety; Spanish t., a golden brown variety of smoky quartz; star-topaz, a yellow asteriated sapphire.
| a 1272 Luue Ron 172 in O.E. Misc. 98 Hwat spekstu of eny stone..Of Amatiste, of calcydone, Of lectorie, and tupace? a 1300 Floriz & Bl. 287 And suþþe riche cassidoines And Jacinctes and topaces. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints vi. (Thomas) 279 With brycht & schenand preciuse stanys, As sardiane, topias fyne, Iaspis. 1382 Wyclif Job xxviii. 19 Topasie of Ethiope. c 1400 Emaré 91 Of topaze and rubyes, And oþur stones of myche prys. c 1407 Lydg. Reson & Sens. 6719 Hyr Rokys..Wer makyd of a ryche stoon, Of a Thopas. c 1420 Anturs of Arth. xxviii, The tassellus were of topeus, that was ther-to tiȝte. a 1440 Sir Degrev. 635 With topyes and trechoure Overtrasyd that tyde. 1481 Caxton Myrr. ii. vii. 79 A stone called Topace whiche is of colour lyke vnto fyn golde. 1567 J. Maplet Gr. Forest 22 The Topaze..Plinie sayth, is a Gem of grassie colour: although that in Germanie it is found like to Golde. 1584 R. Scot Discov. Witchcr. xiii. vi. (1886) 239 A topase healeth the lunaticke person of his passion of lunacie. 1645 Evelyn Diary 21 May, Many pearls, diamonds, amethysts, topazes. 1738 Glover Leonidas iv. 266 The flaming topaz with its golden beam. 1888 Encycl. Brit. XXIII. 446 The topaz of modern mineralogists was unknown to the ancients. |
c. The dark yellow colour of topaz.
| 1908 Sears, Roebuck Catal. 360/2 These colors are..sapphire blue, emerald green, topaz, etc. 1942 W. Faulkner Go down, Moses 237 A horse stands, blinking his sleepy topaz eyes at nothing. 1974 Times 2 Dec. (Wines & Spirits Suppl.) p. iii/5 Pale topaz with a gentle grapey aroma..it [sc. a wine] costs less than {pstlg}12 a dozen. |
2. Her. In blazoning by precious stones, the designation of the tincture Or.
| 1562 Leigh Armorie 4 b, That precious stone, which y⊇ Herhaughts do vse in blason, for, and in y⊇ name of this metall [or] and Planett [the sun] that is called a Topace. 1572 J. Bossewell Armorie ii. 56 The field is parted per fesse embattyled, Topaze and Emeraude, two Lyciskes passant conterchanged of the fielde. 1766–87 Porny Heraldry Gloss., Topaz, the name of a precious Stone used instead of Or, in blazoning the Arms of the English Nobility only. |
3. attrib. and
Comb., as
topaz-colour,
topaz-fire,
topaz-gleam,
topaz-seal,
topaz-stone;
topaz-coloured,
topaz-tailed,
topaz-throated,
topaz-tinted adjs.; also
topaz humming-bird, two S. American species of humming-bird of brilliant colours,
Topaza pella and
T. pyra;
topaz-pycnite Min., a variety of topaz, occurring in columnar aggregations;
topaz-rock: see
quot. 1796.
| 1902 Westm. Gaz. 2 Aug. 2/1 The yellow cat lay motionless and supine, its *topaz-coloured eyes rolling from one to the other. |
| 1816 J. Scott Vis. Paris App. (ed. 5) 321 An infinity of glass lamps..sparkling with green, crimson, and *topaz fires. |
| 1782 Latham Synopsis Birds I. ii. 746 *Topaz Humming-Bird. This bird is not much inferior to a Wren in size. |
| 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 1243 The rare mineral called *topaz pycnite is found in this mine. |
| 1796 Kirwan Elem. Min. (ed. 2) I. 368 *Topaz rock..presents a compound of topaz, quartz, shorl, and lithomarga, confusedly compacted together. |
| 1812 Scott Let. to J. B. S. Morritt 10 Dec. in Lockhart, A pretty *topaz seal, with a talisman which secures this letter. |
| c 1470 Henry Wallace vii. 77 Off *topastone him thocht the plumat was. 1595 Locrine ii. i. 24 Enthronized in seates of Topace stones. |
| 1811 Shaw Gen. Zool. VIII. 335 *Topaz-tailed Humming-bird... Length four inches: Native of Paraguay. |
| Ibid. 274 *Topaz-throated Humming-bird... The throat..is of the most splendid *topaz yellow. |
| 1867 A. J. Wilson Vashti xiv, The glassy stretch of *topaz-tinted sea. 1845 Lindley Veg. Kingd. (1846) 114 Barley-straw melts into a glass of a topaz yellow colour. |
Hence
ˈtopazy a. (
nonce-wd.) [see
-y], like topaz.
| 1892 Stevenson Vailima Lett. xxii. (1895) 224 The colour..is a topazy yellow. |