azure

American  

[azh-er] / ˈæʒ ər /

adjective

1. of or having a light, purplish shade of blue, like that of a clear and unclouded sky.

2. Heraldry. of the tincture or color blue.

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noun

1. the blue of a clear or unclouded sky.

2. a light, purplish blue.

3. Heraldry. the tincture or color blue.

4. the clear, cloudless sky.

azure British  

/ ˈæʒə, ˈeɪ-, -ʒʊə /

noun

1. a deep blue, occasionally somewhat purple, similar to the colour of a clear blue sky

2. poetic a clear blue sky

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adjective

1. of the colour azure; serene

2. (usually postpositive) heraldry of the colour blue

Etymology

Origin of azure

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English asure, from Anglo-French, Old French, ultimately alteration of Arabic al-lazuwar(d) (by misdividing the initial l together with the article), from Persian lāzhuward “lapis lazuli,” perhaps from Sanskrit rājāvarta

Explanation

Looking for a fancier way to describe the deep blue sky on a crisp fall day or the jewel-toned waters of the Caribbean? Try azure. Some people might describe the color azure as sapphire in hue, but in fact there's another gem responsible for this word. At its root, azure comes to us from a French mistranslation of the Arabic word (al)-lazaward, which means “lapis lazuli” — the dazzling deep blue stone that's very common in Afghanistan. The Arabic word actually refers to an area of Turkestan where Marco Polo collected lapis lazuli for friends back home.

Example Sentences

Protesters gathered on a sandy beach facing azure waters, some waving red Albanian flags, others carrying inflatable flamingos -- the movement’s symbol -- while chanting "cancel the project!"

From Barron's • Jun. 6, 2026

The resulting images capture mountains and fjords dissolving into sky, rendered in the deep azure light of the Arctic Circle.

From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026

Joseph’s family held a small service for him in a church overlooking the Caribbean’s azure waters.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 26, 2025

Mauve mountain peaks jut into the azure sky at the horizon.

From BBC • Oct. 31, 2024

It’s still unseasonably hot, and I often get to look out on someone’s azure pool while I vacuum or scrub, frantic with suppressed itching.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich