alexandrite

See also: Alexandrite

English

Alexandrite step cut cushion

Etymology

From Alexander +‎ -ite, named after Alexander II of Russia.

Pronunciation

• (US) enPR: ăl'-ĭg-zăn'-drīt, IPA^(key): /ˌæl.ɪɡˈzæn.dɹaɪt/

Noun

alexandrite (countable and uncountable, plural alexandrites)

1. (mineralogy) A form of chrysoberyl that displays a colour change dependent upon the light source, along with strong pleochroism.
   • 1922, E[ric] R[ücker] Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros: A Romance, London: Jonathan Cape […], →OCLC, page 2:

     […] the body of each high seat was a single jewel of monstrous size: the left-hand seat a black opal, asparkle with steel-blue fire, the next a fire-opal, as it were a burning coal, the third seat an alexandrite, purple like wine by night but deep sea-green by day.

Translations

form of chrysoberyl that displays a colour change

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 金綠寶石 / 金绿宝石, 變石 / 变石, 紫翠玉, 亞歷山大石 / 亚历山大石, 變色石 / 变色石

• Finnish: aleksandriitti (fi)
• French: alexandrite (fr) f
• Greek: αλεξανδρίτης (el) m (alexandrítis)
• Italian: alessandrite f
• Japanese: 金緑石 (kinryokuseki), クリソベリル (kurisoberiru), アレキサンドライト
• Polish: aleksandryt (pl) m
• Portuguese: alexandrita f
• Romanian: alexandrit (ro) n
• Russian: александри́т (ru) m (aleksandrít)
• Spanish: alejandrita (es) f

Further reading

• David Barthelmy (1997–2026), “Alexandrite”, in Webmineral Mineralogy Database.
• “alexandrite”, in Mindat.org, Keswick, Va.: Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, 2000–2026.