aljofar

See also: aljófar and aljôfar

English

Noun

aljofar (plural aljofars)

1. (India) seed pearl

Old Spanish

Alternative forms

• aljoffar
• aliofar

Etymology

Borrowed from Andalusian Arabic الجوهر (al-jawhar), from Arabic جَوْهَر (jawhar), from Persian گوهر (gowhar, “jewel, gem, pearl”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /alˈʒohaɾ/

Noun

aljofar m (plural aljofares)

1. pearl
   • c. 1250, Alfonso X, Lapidario, f. 4v:

     DEl onzeno grado del ſigno de aries, es la piedra a q̃ llaman aliofar. Eſta es de ſu natura caliente ⁊ ſeca. Et fallan la en muchas partes que ſon, en la grand mar que çerca el mũdo enderredor en unas conchas muy grandes en que ſe crian ellas deſta guisa. […]

     Of the eleventh degree of the sign of Aries is the stone they call pearl. It is warm and dry in nature. It is found in many places in the open sea all around the world, inside very large clams, inside of which they form in this manner; […]

   • Idem, f. 114r.

     Aldardemuz a nombre en griego. la decima piedra de la .A. / Eſta a color de fierro. ⁊ quando la fregan ſalle ſu fregamiento uermeio. Et con eſta alimpian el alioffar. ⁊ arredondan el uidrio. et eſclarecen las piedras.

     Aldardemuz is the Greek name of the tenth stone of the [letter] A. It is the color of iron, and when they wash it the wash is red. And with it they clean pearls, and round off glass and polish stones.

Descendants

• Spanish: aljófar