topaz

topaz

topaz A nesosilicate mineral, Al2SiO4(OH,F)2; sp. gr. 3.5–3.6; hardness 8; orthorhombic; colourless, pale yellow, pale blue, yellowish, or sometimes pink; often transparent; vitreous lustre; crystals are prismatic and often bipyramidal with the vertical faces striated, but it can also be massive and granular; cleavage perfect basal orthorhombic; typically occurs in granite pegmatites, rhyolite, and quartz veins, and extensively as an accessory mineral in granites, associated with fluorite, tourmaline, beryl, and cassiterite, also in alluvial deposits. It is associated with pneumatolytic action (see PNEUMATOLYSIS) and is a constituent of greisen. The original cairngorms (see QUARTZ) were topaz crystals. It is named after Topazos Island in the Red Sea.

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AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "topaz." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "topaz." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-topaz.html

AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "topaz." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-topaz.html

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topaz

to·paz / ˈtōpaz/ • n. 1. a precious stone, typically colorless, yellow, or pale blue, consisting of a fluorine-containing aluminum silicate. ∎  a dark yellow color. 2. a large tropical American hummingbird (genus Topaza) with a yellowish throat and a long tail.

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"topaz." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"topaz." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-topaz.html

"topaz." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-topaz.html

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Topaz

Topaz ♀ One of the rarer examples of the class of modern girls' names taken from vocabulary words denoting gemstones. The topaz gets its name via French and Latin from Greek; it is probably ultimately of Oriental origin. In the Middle Ages this was sometimes used as a boy's name, being taken as a form of Tobias.

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PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Topaz." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Topaz." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Topaz.html

PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Topaz." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Topaz.html

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topaz

topaz Transparent, glassy mineral, aluminium fluosilicate, Al2SiO4(F,OH)2, found in pegmatites. Its crystals are orthorhombic system columnar prisms. Topaz is colourless, white, blue or yellow; some large crystals are of gem quality. Hardness 8; r.d. 3.5.

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"topaz." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"topaz." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-topaz.html

"topaz." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-topaz.html

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topaz

topaz precious stone. XIII. ME. topace — OF, topace, (also mod.) topaze — L. topaz(i)us, -ion — Gr. tópazos, -ázion.

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T. F. HOAD. "topaz." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "topaz." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-topaz.html

T. F. HOAD. "topaz." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-topaz.html

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topaz

topaz The ninth jewel in the wall of the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21: 20).

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W. R. F. BROWNING. "topaz." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

W. R. F. BROWNING. "topaz." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-topaz.html

W. R. F. BROWNING. "topaz." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-topaz.html

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topaz

topazAbkhaz, as, Baz, has, jazz, pizzazz, razz, whereas •Boas, Boaz •topaz • Shiraz • Alcatraz • razzmatazz

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"topaz." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"topaz." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-topaz.html

"topaz." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-topaz.html

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topaz. (Image by Eurico Zimbres and Tom Epaminondas, CC)