English edit

Etymology edit

An ultramarine (adjective sense 2) flower of the common hepatica (Anemone hepatica).
Ultramarine pigment (noun sense 1).

Borrowed from Medieval Latin ultrāmarīnus, from Latin ultrā (beyond) + marīnus (of or relating to the sea, marine). Ultrā is derived from uls (beyond) (from Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- (beyond; other)) + -ter (suffix forming adverbs) + (suffix forming adverbs); while marīnus is from mare (sea) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *mer- (sea; lake; wetland)) + -īnus (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives).[1] The English word is analysable as ultra- +‎ marine.

Noun sense 1 (“pigment”) refers to the fact that lapis lazuli was obtained from foreign countries and hence “beyond the sea”.[1]

Pronunciation edit

Adjective edit

ultramarine (comparative more ultramarine, superlative most ultramarine)

  1. (archaic) Beyond the sea.
    Synonyms: overseas, transmarine
    Antonym: cismarine
    • 1769, [Edmund Burke], Observations on a Late State of the Nation, London: [] J[ames] Dodsley, [], →OCLC, page 8:
      [I]n England we ſhall never be taught to look upon the annihilation of our trade, the ruin of our credit, the defeat of our armies, and the loſs of our ultramarine dominions (whatever the author may think of them), to be the high road to proſperity and greatneſs.
  2. Of a brilliant dark blue or slightly purplish colour like that of the pigment (noun sense 1).
    ultramarine:  

Translations edit

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Noun edit

ultramarine (countable and uncountable, plural ultramarines)

  1. In full ultramarine blue: a brilliant blue pigment traditionally made from ground-up lapis lazuli, and now usually either extracted from mineral deposits or made synthetically.
  2. A brilliant dark blue or slightly purplish colour like that of the pigment.

Derived terms edit

Translations edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. 1.0 1.1 ultramarine, adj. and n.”, in OED Online  , Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, March 2021; “ultramarine, n.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Further reading edit

French edit

Adjective edit

ultramarine

  1. feminine singular of ultramarin

German edit

Pronunciation edit

Adjective edit

ultramarine

  1. inflection of ultramarin:
    1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
    2. strong nominative/accusative plural
    3. weak nominative all-gender singular
    4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Italian edit

Adjective edit

ultramarine f pl

  1. feminine plural of ultramarino