French word

saphir

Pronunciation

IPA/safiʁ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounsapphire

Example

Il m'a offert un saphir pour mon anniversaire.

He gave me a sapphire for my birthday.

Illustration for saphir (sapphire)

More examples

Elle porte une bague en saphir.

She is wearing a sapphire ring.

Core concept

A deep-blue corundum gemstone with a bright, polished gleam.

Common phrases

  • une bague en saphir

    a sapphire ring

  • un collier en saphir

    a sapphire necklace

Similar words

pierre précieuse: A precious gemstone valued for use in jewelry.
gemme: A valuable mineral fashioned into accessories.
diamant: A very valuable gemstone that gives off strong light.
bijou: A decorative piece worn as personal adornment.

Definition in French

Pierre précieuse du groupe des corindons, appréciée pour sa teinte bleu profond et son éclat.

Word origin

French saphir comes from Latin sapphirus, borrowed from Greek sappheiros, an ancient name for a blue gemstone.

Usage tips

  • Saphir is masculine, so the usual phrase is un saphir, even though the noun ends in -ir.

Word lists with this word