hammochrysos

English

Etymology

Latin hammochrȳsos, (h)ammochrȳsus, from Ancient Greek ἀμμόχρῡσος (ammókhrūsos), from ἄμμος (ámmos, “sand”) + χρῡσός (khrūsós, “gold”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌhæməˈkɹaɪsɒs/

• Audio (Southern England)

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Noun

hammochrysos (uncountable)

1. A certain stone with spangles of gold color in it, known to Pliny, perhaps golden mica or yellow mica schist.
   • 1905, Thomas Hardy, The Hand of Ethelberta: A Comedy in Chapters, page 375:

     Nearly everything was glass in the frontage of this fairy mart, and its contents glittered like the hammochrysos stone.

   • 1914, William Rose Benét, The Falconer of God: And Other Poems, page 64:

     A splendid curtain, silver-sewn,
     Spangled like hammochrysos stone
     Stood in a crypt that dripped delight,
     His ear-drums pulsing with that sound
     The sheeted waters in their might
     Flung to the crags, to mock their thrall.

   • 2015, Delphi Complete Works of Pliny the Elder (Illustrated), Delphi Classics, page 73:

     Hammochrysos resembles sand in appearance, but sand mixed with gold.

Related terms

• chrysoberyl
• chrysolite
• chrysanthemum

Translations

Translations

• French: hammochryse m