lapis lazuli
Americannoun
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a deep-blue mineral composed mainly of lazurite with smaller quantities of other minerals, used mainly as a gem or as a pigment.
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a sky-blue color; azure.
noun
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a brilliant blue variety of the mineral lazurite, used as a gemstone
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the deep blue colour of lapis lazuli
Etymology
Origin of lapis lazuli
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin, equivalent to Latin lapis “stone” + Medieval Latin lazulī, genitive of lazulum “lapis lazuli”; azure
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The boy king's gold-covered sarcophagus and his burial mask, inlaid with lapis lazuli, will take centre stage at Saturday's opening.
From Barron's • Oct. 31, 2025
It is made of silver, lapis lazuli, malachite and pink coral.
From New York Times • Mar. 20, 2024
Minor treasures include beads made of the semi-precious stone, lapis lazuli.
From BBC • Oct. 5, 2023
Other discoveries included semiprecious stones such as amber from the Baltics and lapis lazuli and carnelian from Mesopotamia and the northern Levant, according to Fischer.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 11, 2023
Her lapis lazuli pendant dangles from her neck.
From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
