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agate
(redirected from Agates)

   Also found in: Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.04 sec.
ag·ate  (gt)
n.
1. A fine-grained, fibrous variety of chalcedony with colored bands or irregular clouding.
2. Games A playing marble made of agate or a glass imitation of it; an aggie.
3. A tool with agate parts, such as a burnisher tipped with agate.
4. Printing A type size, approximately 5 1/2 points.

[Middle English achate, agaten, from Old French acate, agate, alteration (influenced by Greek agath, good) of Latin achts, from Greek akhts.]

Agate [ˈægeɪt]
n
(Biographies / Agate, James (Evershed) (1877-1947) M, British, THEATRE: theatre critic, WRITING: diarist) James (Evershed). 1877-1947, British theatre critic; drama critic for The Sunday Times (1923-47) and author of a nine-volume diary Ego(1935-49)

agate1
n
1. (Earth Sciences / Minerals) an impure microcrystalline form of quartz consisting of a variegated, usually banded chalcedony, used as a gemstone and in making pestles and mortars, burnishers, and polishers. Formula: SiO2
2. (Individual Sports, other than specified) a playing marble of this quartz or resembling it
3. (Communication Arts / Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) Printing the US and Canadian name for ruby [5]
[via French from Latin achātēs, from Greek akhatēs]

agate2
adv
Northern English dialect on the way
[a-2 + gate3]

agate  (gt)
A type of very fine-grained quartz found in various colors that are arranged in bands or in cloudy patterns. The bands form when water rich with silica enters empty spaces in rock, after which the silica comes out of solution and forms crystals, gradually filling the spaces from the outside inward. The different colors are the result of various impurities in the water.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.agateagate - an impure form of quartz consisting of banded chalcedony; used as a gemstone and for making mortars and pestles
moss agate - an agate resembling moss with brown, black, or green markings
calcedony, chalcedony - a milky or greyish translucent to transparent quartz
Translations
agate [ˈægət] Nágata f
agate [ˈægət] nagate f
agate
nAchat m


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