ruby

views updated May 29 2018

ru·by / ˈroōbē/ • n. (pl. -bies) a precious stone consisting of corundum in color varieties varying from deep crimson or purple to pale rose. ∎  an intense purplish-red color. ∎ Printing an old type size equal to 51/2 points (smaller than nonpareil and larger than pearl).

ruby

views updated Jun 08 2018

ruby a precious stone consisting of corundum in colour varieties varying from deep crimson or purple to pale rose (the term pigeon's blood is sometimes used of ruby of a particularly deep shade).

The name may also be used for the less valuable spinel ruby, a deep red variety of the mineral spinel. The ruby may also be taken as the type of something exceedingly precious, as in the biblical passage.
ruby wedding the fortieth (or occasionally, the forty-fifth) anniversary of a wedding; the name is recorded from the early 20th century.

ruby

views updated Jun 08 2018

ruby Gem variety of the mineral corundum (aluminium oxide), whose characteristic red colour is due to impurities of chromium and iron oxides. The traditional source of rubies is Burma. Today, synthetic rubies are widely used in industry.

ruby

views updated May 08 2018

ruby See CORUNDUM; and SPINEL.

ruby

views updated May 09 2018

ruby XIV. — OF. rubi (mod. rubis) — medL. rubīnus, sb. use of adj. f. base of L. rubeus, ruber RED.