sapphirus

Latin

Alternative forms

• sappīrus (Classical Latin)
• sapphir, sappir

Etymology

From Ancient Greek σάπφειρος (sáppheiros).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /sapˈpʰiː.rus/, [s̠äpˈpʰiːrʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /sapˈfi.rus/, [säpˈfiːrus]

Noun

sapphīrus f (genitive sapphīrī); second declension

1. (Classical Latin, originally) a blue gem from the east, probably the lapis lazuli
2. (later) sapphire

   Synonym: (Classical Latin) hyacinthus

Declension

Second-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	sapphīrus	sapphīrī
Genitive	sapphīrī	sapphīrōrum
Dative	sapphīrō	sapphīrīs
Accusative	sapphīrum	sapphīrōs
Ablative	sapphīrō	sapphīrīs
Vocative	sapphīre	sapphīrī

Related terms

• sapphirinus

Descendants

• French: saphir
  • → Romanian: safir n
  • → Turkish: safir
• Italian: zaffiro
  • → Greek: ζαφείρι (zafeíri)
• Spanish: zafiro

References

• “sapphirus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• sapphirus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.