WikiWord

English

onyx

/ˈɒnɪks/ · noun

Meaning

  1. A banded variety of chalcedony, a cryptocrystalline form of quartz.
  2. A jet-black color, named after the gemstone.
  3. Any of various lycaenid butterflies of the genus Horaga.
  4. Jet-black; often, glossily so.
  5. A census-designated place in Kern County, California, United States.

Etymology / origin

From Middle English onix (c. 1300), earlier oniche (c. 1250), from Old French oniche or onix, from Latin onyx, from Ancient Greek ὄνυξ (ónux, “onyx”). Doublet of unguis.

  1. ὄνυξ(Ancient Greek)→
  2. onyx(Latin)→
  3. oniche(fro)→
  4. onix(Middle English)→
  5. *h₃negʰ-(ine-pro)→
  6. onyx (English)
  7. Relations: root, inh, der, der, der

Related words

*h₃negʰ-(ine-pro)onix(Middle English)oniche(fro)onyx(Latin)ὄνυξ(Ancient Greek)onyksi(Finnish)

Descendant words

Sources

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